Trichinella in pork: lumiVAST Trichinella (chemiluminescence immunoassay) authorised as an equivalent method, reference method ISO 18743:2015/Amd1:2023; sample from a diaphragm pillar at least 1 g, 2 g from breeding sows and boars, 5 g from cuts of meat; 50 of 50 samples correct in the EURL validation
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/506, published on 20 March 2025, enters into force on 9 April 2025 and amends Annex I to Regulation 2015/1375 on official controls for Trichinella in meat. The reference method is now the standard in its version ISO 18743:2015/Amd1:2023, the act itself lays down the weights of samples taken from domestic swine (the standard does not specify them), and adds Part F to the equivalent methods — automated detection of Trichinella with the lumiVAST Trichinella test, for meat of domestic swine only.
- Sample weights (domestic swine): from whole carcasses — at least 1 g from a pillar of the diaphragm at the transition to the sinewy part (special trichinae forceps may be used if an accuracy of 1.00–1.15 g is guaranteed); at least 2 g from breeding sows and boars. In the absence of diaphragm pillars — 2 g from the rib or breastbone part of the diaphragm, the jaw muscle, tongue or abdominal muscles, and 4 g from breeding sows and boars. From cuts of meat — at least 5 g of striated muscle containing little fat, where possible close to bones or tendons; the same from meat not intended to be cooked thoroughly.
- Part F (lumiVAST Trichinella): sample preparation and analysis according to the manufacturer’s instructions, apparatus calibrated and maintained according to the instructions. Where a collective sample gives a positive or uncertain result, a further 20 g is taken from each pig; the samples from five pigs are pooled and examined with the same method, and when the group is positive, 20 g from each pig is examined separately. For a positive or uncertain result, at least 20 g of muscle is sent to the national reference laboratory for confirmation with the reference method; parasites are kept in 70–90 % ethanol for species identification.
- Report of the EU Reference Laboratory for Parasites (Istituto Superiore di Sanità, June 2018 – July 2024): the test from the manufacturer Euroimmun detects Trichinella antigens (T. spiralis, T. britovi, T. nativa, T. pseudospiralis) by a chemiluminescence immunoassay; meat is shredded with PBS buffer in a knife mill and the supernatant after centrifugation is analysed on the SuperFlex analyser. It was validated by the national reference laboratories of Austria, France, Germany and Poland and the EURL, on 100 g samples spiked with 3 or 5 larvae.
- Course of the validation: in the first round (May 2021) 5 false negatives out of 50 samples (2 samples with 3 T. pseudospiralis larvae, one each with 5 T. spiralis, 5 T. britovi and 3 T. nativa larvae), no false positives; in the second (February 2022) 5 out of 44, all at 3 T. pseudospiralis larvae; the manufacturer changed the shredding (blades, containers, grinding time) and the cut-off. In the third round (July 2024; 10 g of meat with 3 larvae added to 90 g of diaphragm) all 50 samples were identified correctly, meeting the requirement of the guidelines of 1 April 2022: no false positives and no false negatives. Weakness according to the EURL: the analyser needs regular maintenance.