ISO 21033:2026

Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of trace elements by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) ISO 21033:2026

Publication date:   Nov 13, 2026

Scope

This document specifies an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopic method (ICP-OES) for the determination of trace elements present in a solubilized form in most types of vegetable fats and oils. Depending on the dilution solvent used, most types of vegetable oils can be analysed (crude, degummed, refined, bleached, deodorized and hardened oils) and nearly all types of lecithins and phosphatides.
Elements present in fine particles, such as bleaching earth, metal particles and rust, can result in poor recovery of the trace elements present as nebulization and atomization problems affect the ICP-OES analysis.
This document does not apply to milk and milk products (including fat coming from milk and milk products).
NOTE            The only suitable non-ashing direct method for samples containing fine particles is graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.