Accepted specific limit of quantification of an individual congener in a samplemeans the lowest content of the analyte that can be measured with reasonable statistical certainty, fulfilling the identification criteria as described in internationally recognised standards, for example, in standard EN 16215:2012 ('Animal feed — Determination of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs by GC/HRMS and of indicator PCBs by GC/HRMS') and/or in EPA methods 1613 and 1668 as revised.
Action levelmeans the level of a given substance, as laid down in the Annex to Recommendation 2013/711/EU, which triggers investigations to identify the source of that substance in cases where increased levels of the substance are detected.
Aggregate samplemeans the combined total of all the incremental samples taken from the lot or sublot.
Bioanalytical methodsmeans methods based on the use of biological principles such as cell-based assays, receptor-assays or immunoassays.
Bioassay apparent recoverymeans the BEQ level calculated from the TCDD or PCB 126 calibration curve corrected for the blank and then divided by the TEQ level determined by the confirmatory method.
Confirmatory methodsmeans methods that provide full or complementary information enabling the PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs to be identified and quantified unequivocally at the maximum or, in case of need, at the action level.
Duplicate analysismeans separate analysis of the analytes of interest using a second aliquot of the same homogenised sample.
Incremental samplemeans a quantity of material taken from a single place in the lot or sublot.
Laboratory samplemeans a representative part/quantity of the aggregate sample intended for the laboratory.
Lotmeans an identifiable quantity of food delivered at one time and determined by the official to have common characteristics, such as origin, variety, type of packing, packer, consignor or markings.
Lower-boundmeans the concept which requires using zero for the contribution of each non-quantified congener.
Medium-boundmeans the concept which requires using half of the limit of quantification calculating the contribution of each non-quantified congener.
Screening methodsmeans methods used for the selection of those samples with levels of PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs that exceed the maximum levels or the action levels.
Sublotmeans designated part of a large lot in order to apply the sampling method on that designated part.
Upper-boundmeans the concept which requires using the limit of quantification for the contribution of each non-quantified congener.