Division B Methods other than those referred to in Part A, such as the LC-MS method, HPLC with appropriate detection, immunoassays and functional assays, such as the phosphatase inhibition assay, may be used as alternatives to, or as well as, the EURL LC-MS/MS method, provided that:

either alone or combined they can detect at least the analogues identified in Part A; more appropriate criteria shall be defined where necessary;

they meet the method performance criteria stipulated by the EURL LC-MS/MS method. Such methods must be intra-laboratory validated and successfully tested under a recognised proficiency test scheme. The European Reference Laboratory for marine biotoxins shall support activities toward inter-laboratory validation of the technique to allow for formal standardisation;

their implementation provides an equivalent level of public health protection.