Quality control immunochemical methods

Enhanced analytical methods contribute to improved quality control processes and better quality of food products. In short, they contribute to health safety of consumers. Immunochemical methods enable determination of micro-quantities down to trace amounts of various food components (including allergens which can be a threat to health or, in extreme cases, life of consumers). 

Because environmental immunoassays are a relatively new technology, evaluation studies are an important step to acceptance and implementation. Many environmental analytical chemists are not familiar with the technology, thus, any immunochemical methods that are introduced must be well-characterized and provide data of known quality. Another complication is that many environmental immunoassays are developed by individuals not trained in analytical chemistry. Evaluation studies are essential to provide appropriate quality assurance and quality control measures. Frequently, the analytical... 

As an analytical approach to residue analysis, immunoassay methods are not well characterized, and no validation protocols have been established. The Association of Official Analytical Chemists, whose primary purpose is validation of analytical methods, established a Task Force on Test Kits and Proprietary Methods (2), which has addressed some of the issues relating to immunoassay methods. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry s Commission on Food Chemistry has established a Working Group on Immunochemical Methods, whose first project is to develop draft guidelines on criteria for evaluation, validation, and quality control for r o-immunoassay methods (10). Similar guidelines for EIAs will also be developed. These documents will assist in development and standardization of requirements for precision for both between-laboratories and within-laboratory andyses, accuracy, and ruggedness, and— for qualitative methods— false positive and false negative rates. 

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