Food Nutrition and Safety Measurements Quality Assurance Program (FNSQAP)

Summary

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) established a Food Nutrition and Safety Measurements Quality Assurance Program (FNSQAP) to support the measurement needs of the food communities. The FNSQAP provides an opportunity for food testing laboratories to improve comparability of their measurements, as well as for NIST to assess community needs for reference materials, workshops, and other measurement services.

Description

As part of a revamp of QAPs in 2021, NIST established the FNSQAP to support the NIST Food Safety Program and Measurements and Standards to Support Nutrition Labeling. Participants measure nutrient components (e.g., minerals, vitamins, fatty acids, dietary fiber) and contaminants (e.g., toxic elements, pesticide residues) in food samples, including infant formula, distributed by NIST. FNSQAP is designed to assist laboratories in the development and validation of new analytical methods, in improving the quality of their analytical measurements, and in supporting compliance with a number of federal regulations enforced by the US FDA, USDA, and other international bodies. Participant data is compiled at NIST and analyzed for accuracy, precision, and concordance within the community. Reports and certificates of completion are sent to participants, and workshops with participating laboratories may be held following future studies. Future FNSQAP studies may address additional food safety areas such as authenticity, protein food allergens, and microbial contaminants, as needs are identified. Please send suggestions for studies or requests for more information regarding FNSQAP and other NIST QAPs to QAPHUB [at] nist.gov.

Major Accomplishments

Specific sample/analyte combinations included in each FNSQAP exercise, as well as links to final reports, are summarized in the tables below.

Exercise 1

Study	Measurands and Samples
Nutritional Elements	Ca, Na, Fe, and K in infant formulas
Toxic Elements	As, Cd, Pb, and Hg in baby foods
Water-Soluble Vitamins	Folic acid in infant formulas
Fat-Soluble Vitamins	Vitamin K in infant formulas
Contaminants I	Acrylamide in chocolate and coffee
Contaminants II	Glyphosate in foods

Exercise 1 Final Report is coming soon.

Exercise 2

Study	Measurands and Samples
Nutritional Elements	Cr, Mo, and Se in infant formulas
Toxic Elements	Cd and Pb in chocolate materials
Water-Soluble Vitamins	Choline and carnitine in infant formulas
Fat-Soluble Vitamins	Carotenoids in infant formulas
Fatty Acids	DHA and ARA in infant formulas
Contaminants I	Glyphosate in turmeric and cat food
Contaminants II	Phthalates in infant formula and cheese

Exercise 2 Final Report is coming soon.