Overview
ISO 8070:2007 (IDF 119:2007) specifies a flame atomic absorption spectrometric (AAS) method for determining the contents of calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium in milk and milk products. The standard applies to a wide range of matrices including milk, whey, buttermilk, yogurt, cream, dried milk, butter, cheese, casein and caseinate. It was prepared jointly by ISO and the International Dairy Federation (IDF) and replaces earlier editions.
Key topics
- Analytical principle: organic matter is decomposed (dry ashing or wet digestion) and the resulting solution is measured by flame AAS; test and calibration solutions are atomized into an air–acetylene flame and absorbance is read at element-specific wavelengths.
- Target elements & wavelengths:
- Calcium: 422.7 nm
- Sodium: 589.6 nm
- Potassium: 766.5 nm
- Magnesium: 285.2 nm
- Sample decomposition options:
- Dry ashing in a programmable furnace
- Wet digestion (open or pressurized microwave-assisted systems or PTFE vessels)
- Reagents & standards: nitric acid (concentrated and diluted), lanthanum trichloride solution, hydrogen peroxide, and commercially available ion stock solutions; preparation of a multi-element working standard is described.
- Apparatus requirements: flame AAS with air–acetylene burner, specified pipettes and volumetric flasks, crucibles, microwave digestion systems, ovens, centrifuge and other laboratory equipment.
- Quality control & performance: procedures for preparation of test samples, calibration, calculation and expression of results, and sections on precision (repeatability and reproducibility) and test reporting.
Applications
- Routine quality control and compositional analysis in dairy processing plants and testing laboratories.
- Regulatory compliance testing and nutrient labelling verification for milk and milk products.
- Research and development in dairy science where reliable quantification of Ca, Na, K and Mg is required.
- Method transfer and validation in contract analytical laboratories performing mineral analysis by atomic absorption spectrometry.
Who should use this standard
- Food chemists and analytical laboratory managers in the dairy industry
- Public health and regulatory laboratories
- Third‑party testing and certification bodies
- Instrument manufacturers and method validation specialists
Related standards
ISO 8070 is a practical, prescriptive method for laboratories needing standardized, comparable results for mineral content in dairy matrices using flame AAS.