Determination of Heavy Metals and Trace Elements in Alternative Meats Per EAM 4.7 Method for ICP-MS

Significance of the Topic

Protein sources are essential for human health and muscle maintenance. The rise of plant-based and cell-cultured meat alternatives creates a need for comprehensive safety testing of heavy metals and trace elements to ensure consumer protection and regulatory compliance.

Objectives and Study Overview

This work applies the US FDA EAM 4.7 ICP-MS method using an Agilent 7850 ICP-MS to quantify 30 elements in plant-based protein foods and 29 elements in cell culture media. The aim is to validate instrument performance and analytical accuracy for alternative meat matrices.

Methodology

Sample Preparation:

• Plant-based foods and certified reference materials were digested in closed vessels with HNO3/H2O2 per EAM 4.7 microwave protocol.
• Cell culture media were diluted in 2% HNO3/0.5% HCl without digestion to preserve valuable samples.
• Calibration standards covered trace to major element ranges, and internal standards were introduced online to correct matrix effects.

Quality Control:

• Four NIST food matrix SRMs assessed accuracy; recoveries met 80–120% criteria.
• Method blanks, fortified blanks, and spiked samples confirmed recoveries within ±10–20%.
• Continuing calibration verifications ensured ongoing instrument validity.

Instrumentation Used

The Agilent 7850 ICP-MS with ORS4 collision cell operated in helium kinetic energy discrimination mode, paired with UHMI aerosol dilution (HMI-4 preset). A concentric nebulizer, temperature-controlled spray chamber, and autotuning delivered robust plasma performance under high-matrix conditions.

Main Results and Discussion

• Calibration curves exhibited excellent linearity (r² ≥ 0.9999) across all analytes.
• Instrument detection limits met or surpassed FDA EAM thresholds.
• Certified reference materials returned recoveries of 80–120%, validating digestion and measurement.
• Spiked plant-based foods and cell media achieved recoveries within method criteria (90–110% for blanks, ±20% for samples).
• IntelliQuant Quick Scan detected unexpected elements such as rubidium in minced beef, confirmed by isotopic pattern matching.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• A unified ICP-MS method for diverse matrices streamlines safety and quality assessments of emerging protein products.
• UHMI mode efficiently reduces polyatomic interferences without reactive gases.
• Automated internal standards and QC checks ensure consistent long-term data reliability.
• Applicable to regulatory testing, R&D, and routine quality control in food and biotechnology industries.

Future Trends and Potential Applications

• Extension to additional elements for nutritional and toxicological profiling.
• High-throughput digestion and dilution robotics for large-scale screening.
• Development of defined serum replacements to reduce variability in cultured meat analyses.
• Integration with elemental imaging and speciation tools to map distributions within tissues.

Conclusion

The Agilent 7850 ICP-MS method, aligned with FDA EAM 4.7, provides accurate, reliable quantification of heavy metals and trace elements in plant-based meats and cell culture media. Its robust collision cell, UHMI dilution, and rigorous QC ensure compliance-ready data for next-generation protein sources.

References

1. US FDA Elemental Analysis Manual 4.7, ICP-MS method for food safety.
2. Gray et al., EAM 4.7 Validation and QC Procedures.
3. Dopelt et al., Environmental Effects of the Livestock Industry, Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2019.
4. Nelson et al., Critical Elements in Foods by Agilent ICP-MS, Agilent Technologies Application Note.
5. O’Neill et al., Spent Media Analysis for Cultured Meat Development, NPJ Sci. Food, 2022.