{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/materials-and-articles-in-contact-with-food-england-regulations-2012/schedule-3/paragraph-4",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/materials-and-articles-in-contact-with-food-england-regulations-2012/schedule-3/paragraph-4.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2012/2619",
  "legislation_title": "The Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (England) Regulations 2012",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/materials-and-articles-in-contact-with-food-england-regulations-2012",
  "path": "schedule/3/paragraph/4",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "4",
  "heading": null,
  "text": "Performance criteria of the instrumental method of analysis\n(a) The detection limit for lead and cadmium must be equal to or lower than— 0,1 mg/litre for lead; 0,01 mg/litre for cadmium.\nThe detection limit is defined as the concentration of the element in the 4 % acetic acid solution, as referred to in paragraph 3(a) which gives a signal equal to twice the background noise of the instrument.\n(b) The limit of quantification for lead and cadmium must be equal to or lower than— 0,2 mg/litre for lead; 0,02 mg/litre for cadmium.\n(c) Recovery. The recovery of lead and cadmium added to the 4 % acetic acid solution, as referred to in point 3(a), must lie within 80-120 % of the added amount.\n(d) Specificity. The instrumental method of analysis used must be free from matrix and spectral interferences.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Sch. 3 inserted (31.12.2020) by The Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/704), reg. 1, Sch. 2; 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/2619/schedule/3/paragraph/4",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T01:16:18.668965+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}