BS EN 12393-2:2013

What is BS EN 12393-2-Methods for extraction and clean-up for the determination of pesticide residues about?  

BS EN 12393 is a European standard on foods of plant origin that discusses the multiresidue methods for the determination of pesticide residues by GC or LC-MS/MS to ensure foods of plant origin are safe for consumption.  

BS EN 12393-2 is the second in the BS EN 12393 series that specifies methods for the extraction and clean-up of food samples of plant origin for quantitative determination of pesticide residues. 

BS EN 12393-2 contains the following methods that have been subjected to interlaboratory studies and/or are adopted throughout Europe: 

• Method M: Extraction with acetone and liquid-liquid partition with dichloromethane/light petroleum, if necessary, clean-up on Florisil  
• Method N: Extraction with acetone, liquid-liquid partition with dichloromethane or cyclohexane/ethyl acetate and clean-up with gel permeation and silica gel chromatography  
• Method P: Extraction with ethyl acetate and, if necessary, clean-up with gel permeation chromatography 

BS EN 12393-2 specifies the details of methods M, N and P for the extraction and the clean-up of food samples of plant origin. Several solvents at different volumes are used for extraction. Techniques of clean-up are listed such as liquid-liquid partition, liquid chromatography on various adsorbents and gel permeation chromatography. 

Note: A table providing the couples (matrix/pesticide) which have been submitted to collaborative studies and a list of indicative applicability of the method to different pesticides are given for each method, wherever possible. 

Who is BS EN 12393-2-Methods for extraction and clean-up for the determination of pesticide residues for? 

BS EN 12393-2 on multiresidue methods for the determination of pesticide residues by GC or LC-MS/MS is useful for: 

• Food scientists  
• Food technologists  
• Food laboratories/test personnel 
• Food health and safety departments 

Why should you use BS EN 12393-2-Methods for extraction and clean-up for the determination of pesticide residues?  

Pesticides are used to protect crops against insects, weeds, fungi, and other pests. Pesticides are potentially toxic to humans and can have both acute and chronic health effects, depending on the quantity and ways in which a person is exposed. 

BS EN 12393-2 provides you with guidance on apparatus, extraction and clean-up of samples, M, N, P, the summary of procedures, gas chromatography, liquid chromatography and much more. 

The methods for extraction and clean-up provided by BS EN 12393-2 assist you in the identification and quantification of pesticide residues in foods of plant origin, improving the quality and subsistence of foods of plant origin, and ensure reduction in the risk to human health due to consumption of pesticide content.  

With obedience and compliance to BS EN 12393-2, you can enhance foods of plant origin’ efficacy and manufacture a standardized product which has acceptance in global market. 

What is changed since the last update?  

BS EN 12393-2:2013 supersedes EN 12393-2:2008, which is withdrawn. BS EN 12393-2:2013 has made some technical changes compared to the previous editions EN 12393-2:2008. These include: 

• Implementation of liquid chromatography in combination with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the quantification and/or confirmation of pesticide residues 
• Incorporation of information on GC-MS/MS. Deletion of method L as no longer in use 
• Editorial updating of the document according to references, etc 
• Enlargement of scope of method N concerning a number of pesticides and validation data