Measurement Uncertainty and Criteria Approach in Food Analysis

543-0026, Japan Abstract Food analytical data are used to judge whether contaminant and additive content are below the corresponding maximum acceptable levels in foods. These data have by their intrinsic nature some degree of variability. The integrated variability is expressed as “measurement uncertainty” and the value obtained by subtracting the uncertainty from the reported concentration is used to assess compliance. The uncertainty value is also used as a criterion to select analytical methods for food control. In the “criteria approach”, uncertainty in methods in which the cost of analysis is balanced against potential loss due to incorrect decision is compared to the characteristic of uncertainty in methods based on either activity-based procedures or precision data. This article describes the recent trend of food control regulations in the EU and the recommendations of the Codex Alimentarius Commission with special reference