What is ISO 13493 about?
ISO 13493 is an international standard on meat and meat products to determine chloramphenicol content in meat and meat products.
ISO 13493 specifies the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method (LC-MS/MS) method for the determination of chloramphenicol content of muscle tissue of meat, including livestock and poultry. ISO 13493 specifies LC-MS/MS as the reference method.
The LC method is suitable for the determination of chloramphenicol content greater than 6,5 mg/kg. LC-MS/MS is suitable for the determination of chloramphenicol content greater than 0,1 microgram/kg.
Note: Test samples that have deteriorated cannot be analysed with this method.
Who is ISO 13493 for?
ISO 13493 on meat and meat products is useful for:
- Food laboratories
- Food technologists
- Food scientists
- Biochemists
Why should you use ISO 13493?
The most serious adverse effect of chloramphenicol is bone marrow depression. Serious and fatal blood dyscrasias (aplastic anemia, hypoplastic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and granulocytopenia) are known to occur after the administration of chloramphenicol. chloramphenicol residues build up in animal tissues that are eventually ingested by humans when these are consumed.
ISO 13493 provides you with a method for the determination of chloramphenicol content of muscle tissue, casing, liver of meat and meat products, including livestock and poultry.
The sensitive analytical technique provided by ISO 13493 assists you in separating and detecting additives, ingredients, nutritional components, and contaminants in food hence ensuring meat and meat products are safe for consumption.
What is changed since the last update?
BS ISO 13493:2021 supersedes ISO 13493:1998. BS ISO 13493:2021 includes some technical changes with respect to ISO 13493:1998. These include:
- A new test method, the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method (LC-MS/MS) has been added. The reference test method has been changed from liquid chromatography to LC-MS/MS
- The Scope has been expanded to include muscle, casing and the liver of meat and meat products, including livestock, poultry, and seafood.
- The title has been modified, the document structure has been rearranged
- The introductory texts for the Foreword, Clause 2 and Clause 3 have been modified. Clause 2 has been updated
- In 7.3.6.1, “Chromatographic conditions,” “detector range,” “recorder ranger” and “paper speed” have been deleted
- Clause 8 “Test method of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method (reference method)” has been added. The Bibliography has been updated

