scope:

This International Standard describes two methods for the determination of 15 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in animal and vegetable fats and oils:

- a general method, and

- a method specific for coconut oil and vegetable oils with short-chain fatty acids.

These methods are not quantitative for the very volatile compounds such as naphthalene, acenaphthene and fluorene. Due to interferences provided by the matrix itself, palm oil and olive pomace oil cannot be analysed using this method.

NOTE The results for olive pomace oil in Annex B show that this method is not applicable to this type of oil. The precision data determined are very poor.

The quantification limit is 0,2 μg/kg for almost all compounds analysed, except for fluoranthene and benzo(g,h,i)perylene where the quantification limit is 0,3 μg/kg, and indeno(1,2,3-c,d)pyrene where the quantification limit is 1 μg/kg.