Overview
EN ISO 5555:2001/A1:2014 is an official CEN adoption of ISO 5555:2001 Amendment 1 that adds a specific sampling method for flexitanks used to transport animal and vegetable fats and oils. Approved in July 2014, this amendment supplements the existing sampling requirements so that representative samples can be taken from flexitank shipments during filling or discharge.
Key topics and requirements
- Scope: Sampling of animal and vegetable fats and oils carried in flexitanks (single-use, multilayer plastic bags installed inside rigid intermodal containers).
- When to sample: It is not possible to sample a flexitank after it has been filled; sampling must take place during the filling or discharging process.
- Recommended method: Use the general sampling procedure in clause 6.6 of ISO 5555 (incremental sampling) while the flexitank is being filled/discharged.
- Practical coupling: If existing transfer facilities do not provide a representative sampling point, a short length of pipe (~0.3 m) fitted with appropriate connections, a dripcock and a valve (see Figure 2 in the amendment) should be installed between the flexitank valve and the discharge line to draw incremental samples throughout the transfer.
- Sample handling: Incremental samples collected during the operation are to be combined and mixed to form a bulk representative sample of the whole cargo, which is then subdivided as needed.
- Minimum bulk sample size: The minimum bulk sample from a flexitank is 5 L, regardless of the total tank volume.
Applications and users
This amendment is practical for organizations involved in the handling, shipping and testing of edible and industrial oils:
- Producers and packers of animal and vegetable fats and oils preparing shipments in flexitanks.
- Logistics providers and freight forwarders using intermodal containers with flexitanks.
- Loading/discharge facility operators who must provide appropriate sampling points or install sampling couplings.
- Quality control and analytical laboratories that receive samples for compositional, purity or regulatory testing.
- Regulatory and inspection authorities enforcing representative sampling for trade, food safety and customs.
Related standards
- ISO 5555:2001 - Base standard for sampling animal and vegetable fats and oils (this amendment modifies clause 6.6).
- ISO 1496-1 - Specification for general-purpose intermodal containers (referenced for the usual 20 ft container format used with flexitanks).
- EN adoption: EN ISO 5555:2001/A1:2014 - mandatory national implementation across CEN member countries.
This amendment ensures reliable, repeatable sampling practice for the increasingly common flexitank transport of oils, helping stakeholders maintain quality assurance and compliance during intermodal transfers.