Overview
ISO 18862:2016 - "Coffee and coffee products - Determination of acrylamide - Methods using HPLC‑MS/MS and GC‑MS after derivatization" - specifies validated analytical procedures for measuring acrylamide in roasted coffee, soluble coffee, coffee substitutes and related products. The methods use aqueous extraction, clean‑up by solid‑phase extraction (SPE) and quantification by HPLC‑MS/MS or GC‑MS after derivatization (bromination). The protocol was validated across sample concentrations from 53 μg/kg to 612.1 μg/kg.
Key technical topics and requirements
- Sample preparation
- Extraction with water (or dissolving soluble products).
- Optional Carrez precipitation to remove protein/polysaccharide interferences.
- Clean‑up
- Solid‑phase extraction (SPE) to remove matrix compounds prior to analysis.
- Analytical methods
- HPLC‑MS/MS: direct determination using isotopically labelled internal standard.
- GC‑MS after derivatization: bromination of acrylamide followed by GC‑MS analysis.
- Standards and reagents
- Use of acrylamide reference solutions and D3‑acrylamide (isotopically labelled) internal standard.
- Reagents for bromination (saturated bromine water, KBr, sodium thiosulfate) and Carrez solutions.
- Calibration and QA
- Calibration with internal standard, determination of linearity and working range, laboratory‑specific recovery checks.
- Criteria for identification, performance characteristics, repeatability/reproducibility and measurement uncertainty are addressed.
- Apparatus
- Typical laboratory equipment (analytical balance, coffee mill, ultrasonic bath, centrifuge), SPE cartridges, HPLC and GC‑MS systems.
- Safety
- Explicit warnings about acrylamide hazards and safe handling (fume hood, avoid skin/eye contact).
Practical applications and users
- Food safety and regulatory testing: national and regional food control laboratories monitoring acrylamide levels in coffee products for compliance and risk assessment.
- Quality control in the coffee industry: manufacturers and contract labs implementing routine QC to manage processing parameters linked to acrylamide formation.
- Product development and research: scientists studying roasting, processing interventions, or mitigation strategies to reduce acrylamide in beverages and coffee‑based products.
- Accreditation and method harmonization: laboratories seeking standardized, validated procedures for reporting comparable acrylamide results.
Related standards and supporting content
- Normative reference: ISO 3696 (Water for analytical laboratory use).
- ISO 18862 includes informative annexes with performance characteristics, examples of absorber materials, and columns/analysis conditions to support method implementation.
Keywords: ISO 18862:2016, acrylamide determination, coffee testing, HPLC‑MS/MS, GC‑MS derivatization, solid‑phase extraction, bromination, D3‑acrylamide, food safety, analytical method.