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ANNO 2 Numero 1
Albino Gallina, Franco Mutinelli [1]

Practical guide to the validation of analytical methods

[1] Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l’Apicoltura - Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padova (Italy).

Contact: fmutinelli@izsvenezie.it

The possibility to have validated analytical methods is essential in the modern laboratories since analytical data are more and more used as parameters of the quality of a product, particularly in the foodstuff context. The development and the validation of an analytical method have a great influence on the quality of the data produced. These two processes are complementary. The validation parameters are: the specificity, the linearity, the range of method, the accuracy, the precision, the detection limit, the quantification limit, the robustness and the stability. The verification of these parameters during and at the end of the development process allows to optimise the performances of the method and to estimate its acceptability. Each parameter is assessed using an adequate number of tests and in conditions that simulate the most probable real cases of application of the method.
The validation increases the quality and the reliability of the analytical data obtained from the application of the validated analytical method.
In this paper some data of a validate method to determinate sulfathiazole in honey has been reported such as example of discussed validation parameters.