Meat and meat products — Detection and determination of colouring agents

This document specifies a detection method using thin-layer chromatography and a determination method using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for synthetic colouring agents in meat and meat products.
This document specifies the HPLC method as the reference method.
This document is applicable to meat and meat products, including livestock and poultry products.
The method using thin-layer chromatography can detect the following colouring agents: Tartrazine, Patent Blue V, Quinoline Yellow, Indigotine, Sunset Yellow FCF, Brilliant Black PN, Amaranth, Black 7984, Ponceau 4R, Fast Green FCF, Erythrosine, Blue VRS.
Synonyms and identity numbers of these colouring agents are listed in Annex A. The plant colours and plant extracts which have been observed not to interfere with this method are listed in B.1. Natural colours which in some cases have been shown to interfere with this method are listed in B.2.
The method using HPLC can detect the following colouring agents: Tartrazine, Allura Red AC, Amaranth, Brilliant Blue FCF, Ponceau 4R, New Red, Sunset Yellow FCF, Carmoisine, Erythrosine, Indigotine.
Chromatograms of these standard reference colours are shown in Annex D.