SALVADORAN                              NSO 67.32.01:08  
NORM       
      
 
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VALUES AND METHODS OF SAMPLING FOR THE 
OFFICIAL CONTROL OF THE LEVELS OF LEAD, 
CADMIUM, MERCURY  AND INORGANIC TIN IN CERTAIN 
FISHERY PRODUCTS AND FOR SETTING THE MAXIMUM 
LEVELS FOR EACH OF THESE SUBSTANCES   
   
 
 
_______________________________________________________________  
  
CORRESPONDENCE:  This standard is an adoption of the European Union's 
Regu lations (EC) No 1881/2006 and (EC) No 333/2007.   
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
  ICS  67.120.30        
  ______________________________________________________________  
 Published by the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, CONACYT, Colonia 
Médica, Avenida Dr. Emili o Alvarez, Pasaje Dr. Guillermo Rodríguez Pacas, # 51, 
San Salvador, El Salvador, Central America.  Tel.: 2226 -2800, 2225 -6222;  Fax: 
2225 -6255;  e-mail:  info@ns.conacyt.gob.sv.      
_______________________________________________________________
All rights res erved                                                                        First 
update  NORMA SALVADOREÑA                                                                          NSO 
67.32.01:08  
 
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REPORT  
 
The bodies responsible for examining standards are the Technical Standards Committees of the 
National Science and Technology Council (acronym:  CONACYT).  They are composed of 
representatives of private enterprise, government, consumer protection bodies and universities.  
 
In order to guarantee national and international consensus, the proposals drawn up by the 
Committees are subject to a public consultation  period during which any person may submit 
comments.  
 
The study was approved as NSO 67.32.01:08  VALUES AND METHODS OF 
SAMPLING FOR THE OFFICIAL CONTROL OF THE LEVELS OF LEAD, CADMIUM, 
MERCURY AND INORGANIC TIN IN CERTAIN FISHERY PRODUCTS AND FOR 
SETTING TH E MAXIMUM LEVELS FOR EACH OF THESE SUBSTANCES  (First update)  
 
Formal approval of the standard entails ratification by the Board of Directors and the Executive 
Agreement of the Ministry of the Economy.  
 
This standard is subject to ongoing review to ensure t hat it meets the needs and demands of 
modern technical development at all times.  Duly substantiated requests for a review of the 
standard will receive the closest attention from the Council’s technical body:   the Department of 
Standards, Metrology and Qual ity Certification.  
 
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE    
 
 
Luis Enrique Parada    DG for Plant and Animal Health, Ministry of 
Agriculture and Livestock Farming  
 Zobeyda Valencia de Toledo              PESQUERA DE SUR    
 Ricardo A. Hernández    CAMPAC  
 Gloria A. Montoy a                             CALVO CONSERVAS DE EL SALVADOR  
            Marcela Fuentes Guillen   Consumer Protection Office    
            Saúl Ovidio González    University of El Salvador, Teaching Sector  
            Ricardo Harrison Parker                     CONACYT  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 NORMA SALVADOREÑA                                                                          NSO 
67.32.01:08  
 
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1. PURPOSE   
 
The purpose of this standard is to establish the official parameters for levels of lead, cadmium, 
mercury and inorganic tin in fishery products, and the sampling methods to be employed.   
Aggregate samples thus obtained  shall be considered as representative of the lots or sublots.  
 
 
2. SCOPE  
 
This standard applies to all fishery products which are processed, marketed, imported, exported or 
donated to the country.  
 
 
3. DEFINITIONS  
 
3.1 Freezing:  physical preservation method inv olving the use of special equipment to achieve a 
reduction in the temperature of the products covered by this standard at their thermal centre to at 
least -18°C (255°K), reducing microbiological enzymatic changes.   
 
3.2 Maximum limit:  permitted concentrati on of additives, micro -organisms, parasites, foreign 
matter, pesticides, biotoxins, medicament residues, heavy metals and non -metals in a foodstuff, 
beverage or raw material.  
 
 3.3 Lot:  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.   In the case of fish, also the size of fish shall be comparable.  
 
3.4 Sample:  the total number of units of a product originating from a  single lot and representing 
the characteristics and conditions of the lot.    
 
3.5 Incremental sample:  a quantity of material taken from a single place in the lot or sublot.  
 
3.6 Aggregate sample : the combined total of all the incremental samples taken fro m the 
lot or  
sublot.  Aggregate samples shall be considered as representative of the lots or sublots from which 
they are taken.  
 
3.7 Laboratory sample:  a sample intended for the laboratory.  
 
3.8 Frozen fish:  food product from edible species, cleaned, gutted or ungutted, and kept at 
frozen temperature.  
 
3.9 Process:  the combination of activities relating to the obtaining, making, manufacturing, 
preparing, preserving, mixing, packaging, handling, transporting,   NORMA SALVADOREÑA                                                                          NSO 
67.32.01:08  
 
 2  distributing, storing and selling or supplying to the pub lic of products.  
 
3.10 Refrigeration:  physical preservation method whereby the internal temperature of a product 
is kept at no more than 4°C (277°K).   
 
3.11  Sublot:  designated part of a larger lot in order to apply the sampling method to that 
designated part.  
Each sublot must be physically separate and identifiable.  
 
 
4.     GENERAL PROVISIONS  
 
4.1  STAFF  
 
Sampling shall be performed by a qualified person, in this case the official inspector of the 
competent authority.   
 
4.2 PRODUCT TO BE SAMPLED  
 
Each lot or sublot w hich is to be examined shall be sampled separately.  
 
4.3   PRECAUTIONS  
 
In the course of sampling and preparation of the laboratory samples precautions must be taken to 
avoid any changes which would affect the lead, cadmium, mercury or inorganic tin content or  
adversely affect the analytical determination or make the aggregate samples unrepresentative.  
 
4.4 INCREMENTAL SAMPLES  
 
As far as possible, incremental samples shall be taken at various places distributed throughout the 
lot or sublot.   
 
4.5 SAMPLE PREPARA TION  
 
The aggregate sample is made up by uniting all incremental samples.  It must weigh at least 1 kg.  
When this is not possible, the sample shall be taken from one container.  
 
4.6 SUBDIVISION OF AGGREGATE SAMPLE IN LABORATORY SAMPLES FOR 
ENFORCEMENT, TRAD E (DEFENCE) AND REFEREE PURPOSES  
 
The samples for enforcement, trade (defence) and referee purposes shall be taken from the 
homogenised aggregate sample.  The size of the laboratory samples for enforcement shall be 
sufficient to allow at least for duplicate  analyses.  
 
4.7 PACKAGING AND TRANSMISSION OF AGGREGATE AND LABORATORY NORMA SALVADOREÑA                                                                          NSO 
67.32.01:08  
 
 3  SAMPLES   
 
Each aggregate and laboratory sample shall be placed in a clean, inert container offering adequate 
protection from contamination, from loss of analytes by adsorption to the in ternal wall of the 
container and against damage in transit.  All necessary precautions shall also be taken to avoid any 
change of composition of the aggregate and laboratory samples which might arise during 
transportation or storage.  
 
The specific temperatu re for transporting the samples to the laboratory shall be -3°C and, for 
storing the samples in freezers, -18°C.  
 
4.8  SEALING AND LABELLING OF AGGREGATE SAMPLES  
 
Each sample taken for official use shall be sealed at the place of sampling and identified.  A record 
must be kept of each sampling, permitting each lot to be identified unambiguously and giving the 
date and place of sampling together with any additional information likely to be of assistance to 
the analyst.  
 
5.   SAMPLING PLANS  
 
Sampling shall be carried out at the point at which the product enters the production chain and a 
lot can be identified.  The sampling method applied shall ensure that the aggregate sample is 
representative for the lot that is to be controlled.  
The aggregate sample shall be at least 1 kg, except where this is not possible, e.g. when the 
sample consists of a single package or unit.  
 
5.1 NUMBER OF INCREMENTAL SAMPLES  
 
In the case of liquid products, for which a homogeneous distribution of the contaminant in 
question can be assu med within a given lot, it is sufficient to take one incremental sample per lot 
to form the aggregate sample.  Reference to the lot number shall be given.  Liquid products 
containing hydrolysed vegetable protein (HVP) or liquid soya sauce shall be shaken wel l, or 
homogenised by other suitable means, before the incremental sample is taken.  
 
For other products, the minimum number of incremental samples to be taken from the lot shall be 
as indicated in Table 1.  The incremental samples shall be of similar weight. Any departure from this 
procedure must be noted in the record provided for under 4.8.  
 
 
Table 1.  Division of lots into sublots  
  
 
Lot weight (tonnes)                     
                   
Weight or number of sublots                 
                                             
                          15                           15 – 30 tonnes  NORMA SALVADOREÑA                                                                          NSO 
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 4                          <15               ----- 
 
 
Table 2.  Minimum number of incremental samples to be taken from the lot or sublot  
  
 
                    Lot wei ght (kg)   
         Minimum number of 
incremental samples  
        to be taken                                      
                       
                          <50                                  3  
                       50 to 500                                  5  
                         >500                                10  
 
Where the lot consists of individual packages, the number of packages which shall be taken to 
form the aggregate sample is indicated in Table 3.  
      
 Table 3.  Number of packag es (incremental samples) which shall be taken to form the 
aggregate sample if the lot consists of individual packages  
 
Number of packages or 
units in the lot  Number of packages or units to be 
taken  
                     1 to 25              1 package or uni t 
              26 to 100  about 5%, with a minimum of 2 
packages or units  
             >100  about 5%, with a maximum of 10 
packages or units  
 
Note 1:  The maximum levels for inorganic tin apply to the contents of each can, but for practical 
reasons it is  necessary to use an aggregate sampling approach.  If the result of the test on an 
aggregate sample of cans is less than, but close to, the maximum level of inorganic tin and if it is 
suspected that individual cans might exceed the maximum level, then it wi ll be necessary to 
conduct further investigations.   
 
6.   COMPLIANCE OF THE LOT OR SUBLOT WITH THE SPECIFICATION  
 
The control laboratory shall analyse the laboratory sample for enforcement at least in two 
independent analyses, and calculate the mean of the  results.  The lot or sublot shall be accepted if 
the mean does not exceed the maximum level laid down in this standard.   
The lot or sublot shall be rejected if the mean exceeds the respective maximum level.  
 
7. HUMAN HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF THE ACCUMULATION  IN THE BODY OF 
CADMIUM, LEAD, MERCURY AND INORGANIC TIN  
 
Cadmium  NORMA SALVADOREÑA                                                                          NSO 
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Cadmium may accumulate in the human body and may induce kidney dysfunction, skeletal 
damage and reproductive deficiencies.  Moreover, it cannot be excluded that it acts as a human 
carcinogen .  
 
Lead   
 
Lead absorption may constitute a serious risk to public health.  Lead may induce reduced cognitive 
development and intellectual performance in children and increased blood pressure and 
cardiovascular diseases in adults.  Over the last ten years th e lead content of food products has 
been reduced significantly as awareness of the health problems associated with lead has increased.  
   
 
Mercury   
 
Mercury may induce alterations in the normal development of the brain of infants and at higher 
levels may i nduce neurological changes in adults.   It contaminates mostly fish and fishery 
products.  
 
Inorganic tin  
 
Ingestion of large quantities of tin compounds can cause stomach pains, anaemia and liver and 
kidney damage.  
 
 
The maximum permitted levels of the afor ementioned metals are shown below.        
 
Table 4.   Maximum permitted level of mercury  
 
 
Product   
Maximum content  
(mg/kg wet weight)  
1-      Fishery products, except those listed in 
section 2   0.5 NORMA SALVADOREÑA                                                                          NSO 
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2-    EEL (Anguila spp. )  
TUNA ( Thunnus spp., Euthynnus 
species, Katsuwonus pelamis ) 
LITTLE TUNA ( Euthynnus spp .) 
BONITO ( Sarda sarda ) 
SEABREAM, PANDORA (Pagellus 
spp.)  
ESCOLAR or SNAKE MACKEREL  
 (Lepidocybium   
Flavobrunneum, Ruvettus pretiosus,   
Gempylus serpens ) 
SCABBARD FISH ( Lepidopus 
caudatus,  
Aphanopus ca rbo) 
STURGEON ( Acipenser spp .) 
HALIBUT ( Hipoglossus hipoglossus ) 
REDFISH ( Sebastes   
marinus, S. mentella, S. viviparus ) 
MEGRIM  (Lepidorhombus spp.)  
ROUNDNOSE GRENADIER  
(Coryphaenoides rupestris)  
PIKE ( Esox lucius ) 
MARLIN ( Makaira spp .) 
BLUE LING ( Molva dip terygia ) 
BASS ( Dicentrarchus labrax ) 
POOR COD ( Trisopterus minutus ) 
PORTUGUESE DOGFISH 
(Centroscymnes coelolepis ) 
ATLANTIC CATFISH ( Anarhichas 
lupus ) 
SWORDFISH ( Xiphias gladius ) 
SAILFISH ( Istiophorus platypterus ) 
MONKFISH ( Lophius spp .) 
RAYS ( Raja spp .) 
MULLET ( Mullus spp .) 
PLAIN BONITO ( Orcynopsis unicolor ) 
SHARKS (all species)   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1.0 for all the species listed in this section  
 
 
 
 
Table 5.   Maximum permitted level of lead  
 NORMA SALVADOREÑA                                                                          NSO 
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Product  Maximum content  
(mg/kg wet weight)  
 
Muscle meat1) of live fis h, fresh or chilled fish, 
excluding fresh minced meat, frozen and chilled 
fillets.  Prepared or preserved fish;  caviar and 
caviar substitutes prepared from fish eggs.                   
 
 
0.3 
MUSCLE MEAT 1) OF WEDGE SOLE 
(Dicologoglossa cuenata ) 
EEL ( Anguill a anguilla ) 
TUNA ( Thunnus spp., Euthynnus species, 
Katsuwonus pelamis ) 
LITTLE TUNA ( Euthynnus spp .) 
SPOTTED SEABASS ( Dicentrarchus 
punctatus ) 
BONITO ( Sarda sarda ) 
HORSE MACKEREL OR SCAD ( Trachurus 
trachurus ) 
GREY MULLET ( Mugil labrosus labrosus ) 
COMMON TWO -BANDED SEABREAM 
(Diplodus vulgaris ) 
GRUNT ( Pomadasys benneti ) 
SARDINE ( Sardina pichardus ) 
SARDINE -LIKE SPECIES ( Sardinops spp. ) 
               
 
 
 
 
 
0.3 for all the species listed in this section  
 
Crustaceans, excluding brown meat of crab 
and excluding he ad and thorax meat of 
lobster and similar large crustaceans.                   
 
0.5 
    
 
Bivalve molluscs  1.5 
Cephalopods (without viscera)  1.0 
       
1) Where fish are intended to be eaten whole, the maximum level applies to the whole fish.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 NORMA SALVADOREÑA                                                                          NSO 
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Table 6.  Maximum permitted level of cadmium  
 
                   Product  Maximum content  
(mg/kg wet weight)  
Muscle meat1) of live fish, fresh or chilled fish, 
excluding fresh minced meat, frozen and chilled 
fillets.  Prepared or preserved fish;   caviar an d caviar 
substitutes prepared from fish eggs.                
 
 
0.05 
MUSCLE MEAT 1) OF WEDGE SOLE 
(Dicologoglossa cuenata ) 
EEL ( Anguilla anguilla ) 
TUNA ( Thunnus spp., Euthynnus species, 
Katsuwonus pelamis ) 
LITTLE TUNA ( Euthynnus spp .) 
SPOTTED SEABASS ( Dicen trarchus punctatus ) 
BONITO ( Sarda sarda ) 
HORSE MACKEREL OR SCAD ( Trachurus 
trachurus ) 
GREY MULLET ( Mugil labrosus labrosus ) 
COMMON TWO -BANDED SEABREAM 
(Diplodus vulgaris ) 
GRUNT ( Pomadasys benneti ) 
SARDINE ( Sardina pichardus ) 
SARDINE -LIKE SPECIES ( Sardinops  spp. ) 
        
 
 
 
 
 
0.1 for all the species listed in this 
section  
Swordfish meat  0.30 
Crustaceans, excluding brown meat of crab and 
excluding head and thorax meat of lobster and 
similar large crustaceans ( Nephropidae  and 
Palinuridae )  
 
                 0.5  
  
Bivalve molluscs                 
1.0 
 
Cephalopods (without viscera)                 
1.0 
 
1) Where fish are intended to be eaten whole, the maximum level applies to the whole fish.  
 
 
 
 
 
 NORMA SALVADOREÑA                                                                          NSO 
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                        Table 7.  Maximum permitted level of  inorganic tin  
                      (The limit applies to canned fishery products only)  
 
                   Product  Maximum content  
[mg/kg]  
Canned foods other than beverages.                           200  
 
 
      
    8.   METHODS OF ANALYSIS AND TESTING  
 
Regulation (EC) No 333/2007 laying down the methods of sampling and analysis for the official 
control of the levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, inorganic tin, and benzo(a)pyrene in foodstuffs, 
and Regulation (EC) No 882/2004.     
 
 
 
9.  ANNEX  
 
9.1  EU Regulati ons (EC) Nos 1881/2006 and 333/2007.  
 
 
10.  SUPERVISION AND VERIFICATION  
The supervision and verification of this standard are incumbent upon the  respective bodies of the 
Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Farming.  
 
 
END OF STANDARD  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 NORMA SALVADOREÑA                                                                          NSO 
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