Concentrations data formats

Concentrations data are analytical measurements of chemical substances occurring in food samples. The following data formats are supported/available for providing concentration data in MCRA:

  1. Relational concentration data format: Concentration data is provided using a number of relational tables describing (food) samples (e.g., sampling date and location), the analytical methods with their properties for substances (e.g., LOQ and LOD), sample analyses describing the analyses performed on the samples (e.g., analysis date and the used analytical method), and concentration measurements (e.g., the measurement type and value). This relational table structure is also used internally by MCRA.

  2. EFSA Standard Sample Description (SSD) format: Concentration data according to the EFSA Standard Sample Description (SSD) format. During upload, SSD data are converted automatically to the relational data structure used internally by MCRA.

  3. Tabulated data scheme: This is a simplified data format where samples and analytical methods are not explicitly specified. Tabulated concentration data are converted automatically to the MCRA scheme.

Relational concentration data format

The relational data format is the data format that is used internally in MCRA.

Download empty dataset template: Zipped CSV Excel

Analytical methods

The analytical methods used for analysing the samples are recorded in the analytical methods table. Each analytical method should have a unique identification code (idAnalyticalMethod). The description field may be used for a more detailed description of the analytical method. The records of this table should be linked to one or more analytical method substance properties table, which record the substances that are measured by this method (and their limits of reporting).

Accepted table names: AnalyticalMethod, AnalyticalMethods.

Table 65 Table definition for Analytical methods.
Name Type Description Aliases Required

idAnalyticalMethod

AlphaNumeric (50)

The code for the method of analysis.

idAnalyticalMethod, AnalyticalMethodId, AnalyticalMethodName, Id

Yes

Name

AlphaNumeric (100)

Name of the analytical method.

Name

No

Description

AlphaNumeric (255)

Additional description of method of analysis.

Description

No

Analytical method properties for substances

This table describes the substances analysed by an analytical method. For each substance analysed by an analytical method a record should be included that describes the unit of measurement and the reporting limits (LOQ/LOD).

Accepted table names: AnalyticalMethodSubstances, AnalyticalMethodSubstance, AnalyticalMethodCompounds, AnalyticalMethodCompound.

Table 66 Table definition for Analytical method properties for substances.
Name Type Description Aliases Required

idAnalyticalMethod

AlphaNumeric (50)

The code of method of analysis.

idAnalyticalMethod, AnalyticalMethodName, AnalyticalMethodId

Yes

idSubstance

AlphaNumeric (50)

The substance code.

idSubstance, SubstanceId, Substance

Yes

LOD

Numeric

The limit of detection (LOD) is the lowest concentration of an substance in a sample that can be consistently detected.

LOD

No

LOQ

Numeric

The limit of quantification (LOQ) is the lowest concentration of a substance that can be quantified. The LOQ should be larger than the LOD.

LOQ, LOR

No

ConcentrationUnit

ConcentrationUnit

The unit used for reporting the LOD, LOQ, and the substance concentrations. When not specified, then a default unit of mg/kg is assumed.

ConcentrationUnit, Units, Unit

No

Food samples

Food sample for analysis of concentrations. May be characterised by location and/or date of sampling. A sample can be analysed multiple times, the results per analysis are stored as analysis samples.

Accepted table names: FoodSamples, FoodSample, Samples, Sample, PrimarySample, PrimarySamples.

Table 67 Table definition for Food samples.
Name Type Description Aliases Required

idFoodSample

AlphaNumeric (50)

The identification number of the food sample.

idFoodSample, idSample, SampleId, Id

Yes

idFood

AlphaNumeric (50)

The food code.

idFood, FoodId, Food, FoodCode

Yes

Location

AlphaNumeric (50)

The location or country code, sampling location.

Location, LocationSampling, SamplingLocation, Country

No

Region

AlphaNumeric (50)

The area or region within the sampling location.

Region, Area, SamplingRegion, SamplingArea

No

DateSampling

DateTime

The date of sampling.

DateSampling, SamplingDate

No

ProductionMethod

AlphaNumeric (50)

Additional information on the type/method of production of the sampled food.

ProductionMethod, ProductionType

No

Name

AlphaNumeric (100)

Name of the food sample.

Name

No

Description

AlphaNumeric (200)

Additional description of the food sample.

Description

No

Sample properties

Food sample properties, additional columns that can also be specified as additional columns in the food samples table

Accepted table names: SampleProperties, SampleProperty.

Table 73 Table definition for Sample properties.
Name Type Description Aliases Required

Name

AlphaNumeric (50)

The name of the property.

Id

Yes

Description

AlphaNumeric (200)

Additional description of the sample property.

Description

No

Sample property values

Food sample property values, additional columns that can also be specified as additional columns in the food samples table

Accepted table names: SamplePropertyValues, SamplePropertyValue.

Table 74 Table definition for Sample property values.
Name Type Description Aliases Required

idSample

AlphaNumeric (50)

The identification number of the food sample.

Id, IdFoodSample

Yes

PropertyName

AlphaNumeric (50)

The name of the property.

IdProperty, Name

Yes

TextValue

AlphaNumeric (50)

The value of the property as text value.

No

DoubleValue

Numeric

The value of the property as number.

No

Sample Analyses

An analysis sample specifies the analysis of a sample by an analytical method. A sample can be analysed multiple times, the results per analysis are stored as analysis samples.

Accepted table names: AnalysisSamples, AnalysisSample, SampleAnalysis, SampleAnalyses.

Table 70 Table definition for Sample Analyses.
Name Type Description Aliases Required

idSampleAnalysis

AlphaNumeric (50)

The identification number of the analysed sample.

id, idSampleAnalysis, SampleAnalysis, idAnalysisSample, AnalysisSampleId

Yes

idFoodSample

AlphaNumeric (50)

The identification number of the food sample.

idFoodSample, idSample, SampleId, Sample

Yes

idAnalyticalMethod

AlphaNumeric (50)

The code of method of analysis.

idAnalyticalMethod, AnalyticalMethodId

Yes

DateAnalysis

DateTime

The date of the analysis.

DateAnalysis, AnalysisDate, Date

No

Name

AlphaNumeric (100)

Name of the analysis sample.

Name

No

Description

AlphaNumeric (200)

Additional description of the the analysis sample.

Description

No

Sample concentrations

This table contains substance concentration values specified in the unit defined by the analytical method. The analytical method contains the list of all substances which have been analyzed in the analysis sample. This ConcentrationsPerSample table contains the analysis results where substances with positive concentrations are included. Censored values (i.e. results ‘less than LOQ or LOD’) are reported as follows: 1) Substances for which an LOD (Limit of detection) is reported are included with ResType ‘LOD’, without a concentration value. 2) Substances for which only an LOQ (Limit of quantification) is reported are EXCLUDED, because the LOQ value from the analytical method substances table (AnalyticalMethodCompounds) is used by default. Explicitly missing concentration values are specified with ResType ‘MV’ (obligatory).

Accepted table names: SampleConcentrations, ConcentrationsPerSample, ConcentrationPerSample.

Table 71 Table definition for Sample concentrations.
Name Type Description Aliases Required

idSampleAnalysis

AlphaNumeric (50)

The identification number of the analysed sample.

idSampleAnalysis, SampleAnalysis, idAnalysisSample, AnalysisSampleId

Yes

idSubstance

AlphaNumeric (50)

The substance code.

idSubstance, SubstanceId, Substance

Yes

Concentration

Numeric

The measured concentration.

Concentration

No

ResType

ResType

The type of residue. Should be VAL (= default), LOQ, LOD or MV.

ResType

No

SSD concentration data format

The Standard Sample Description (SSD) concentration is the standard data format proposed by EFSA. Optionally, additional sample properties may be specified of fields that are not part of the SSD format (e.g., season of sampling). For this, the sample properties table and the sample property values table can be used.

Download empty dataset template: Zipped CSV Excel

SSD concentrations

MCRA uses the concept of samples analysed by analytical methods, where the analytical method contains the substances analysed and the LOQs and LODs for these substances. However, the SSD data do not provide information on the analytical methods at this level of detail. Therefore, the provided SSD sample records are used to generate analytical methods which are linked to the samples. All SSD records with the same labSampCode and labSubSampCode compose one MCRA analysis sample. All SSD samples that contain the same substance, LOQ/LOD values and resUnit combinations are linked to the corresponding generated analytical method. If both LOQ and LOD are provided, the LOQ is used as the LOR of the generated analytical method. It is highly recommended to supply LOQ/LOD values, even for positive measurements, because this reduces the number of gererated analytical methods.

Accepted table names: ConcentrationsSSD, SSDConcentrations.

Table 72 Table definition for SSD concentrations.
Name Type Description Aliases Required

labSampCode

AlphaNumeric (30)

Code of the laboratory sample. MCRA will use the combination of labSampCode and labSubSampCode as unique code for a sample.

labSampCode

Yes

labSubSampCode

AlphaNumeric (4)

Code of the laboratory sub-sample. MCRA will use the combination of labSampCode and labSubSampCode as unique code for a sample.

labSubSampCode

No

sampCountry

AlphaNumeric (2)

Two-letter code to identify the country of sampling.

sampCountry

No

sampArea

AlphaNumeric (5)

Area where the sample was collected.

sampArea

No

prodCode

AlphaNumeric (50)

Code identifying the modelled food. Should be equal to a code idFood in the Foods table.

prodCode

Yes

prodProdMeth

AlphaNumeric (50)

Code providing additional information on the type of production for the food under analysis.

prodProdMeth

No

sampY

Integer (4)

Year of sampling.

sampY

No

sampM

Integer (2)

Month of sampling.

sampM

No

sampD

Integer (2)

Day of sampling.

sampD

No

analysisY

Integer (4)

Year of analysis.

analysisY

No

analysisM

Integer (2)

Month of analysis.

analysisM

No

analysisD

Integer (2)

Day of analysis.

analysisD

No

paramCode

AlphaNumeric (50)

Code identifying the substance.

paramCode

Yes

resUnit

ConcentrationUnit

Unit of residue measurement.

resUnit

Yes

resLOD

Numeric

Residue Limit Of Detection. Required if resType is LOD. MCRA will use resLOD as LOR if resLOQ is not provided.

resLOD

No

resLOQ

Numeric

Residue Limit Of Quantification. Required if resType is LOQ. MCRA will use resLOQ as LOR if provided.

resLOQ

No

resVal

Numeric

Required if resType is VAL.

resVal

No

resType

ResType

Type of residue data. Should be VAL, LOQ, LOD or MV.

resType

Yes

Sample properties

Food sample properties, additional columns that can also be specified as additional columns in the food samples table

Accepted table names: SampleProperties, SampleProperty.

Table 73 Table definition for Sample properties.
Name Type Description Aliases Required

Name

AlphaNumeric (50)

The name of the property.

Id

Yes

Description

AlphaNumeric (200)

Additional description of the sample property.

Description

No

Sample property values

Food sample property values, additional columns that can also be specified as additional columns in the food samples table

Accepted table names: SamplePropertyValues, SamplePropertyValue.

Table 74 Table definition for Sample property values.
Name Type Description Aliases Required

idSample

AlphaNumeric (50)

The identification number of the food sample.

Id, IdFoodSample

Yes

PropertyName

AlphaNumeric (50)

The name of the property.

IdProperty, Name

Yes

TextValue

AlphaNumeric (50)

The value of the property as text value.

No

DoubleValue

Numeric

The value of the property as number.

No

Tabulated concentration data format

The tabulated concentration data format is an old data format for entering concentration data.

Download empty dataset template: Zipped CSV Excel

Tabulated concentrations

In the tabulated concentrations data table, each record represents one or multiple samples, and each sample contains a concentration value for a food/substance combination. Censored values (i.e. concentrations less than LOR) are specified as negative values, i.e. ‘less than LOR’ should be specified as minus the LOR value. MCRA uses the concept of samples analysed by analytical methods, where the analytical method is characterised by the substances analysed and the LORs for these substances. However, the tabulated data do not provide this information explicitly. Samples are reconstructed from the tabulated records using the NumberOfSamples field to create that number of single substance samples. Analytical methods are reconstructed from the data, with each analytical method having only one analysed substance with a LOR and concentration unit. When a negative concentration value is given (i.e., it is a censored measurement), this value is recorded as the LOR (negated). All censored measurements of the same substance with the same LOR and concentration unit are linked to the same analytical method. When a positive concentration value is given, this value is recorded as the measured concentration of the sample. All positive measurements of the same substance are linked to the same analytical method that has an artificial LOR that is smaller than the lowest positive concentration. When a concentration of 0 (zero) is given, the measurement is considered to be a censored measurement and the LOR is set to the default value 1E-08.

Accepted table names: ConcentrationTabulated, ConcentrationValues, TabulatedConcentrations, TabulatedConcentration.

Table 75 Table definition for Tabulated concentrations.
Name Type Description Aliases Required

GUID

AlphaNumeric (50)

Unique identifier of the analysis sample of this tabulated concentration record.

idAnalysisSample, SampleId, SampleCode, Code, Id

No

idSubstance

AlphaNumeric (50)

The code of the substance of this concentration value.

idSubstance, SubstanceId, Substance

Yes

idFood

AlphaNumeric (50)

The food code.

idFood, FoodId, FoodMeasured, Food

Yes

DateSampling

AlphaNumeric (10)

The date of sampling.

DateSampling

No

SamplingType

AlphaNumeric (50)

The type of sampling (monitoring).

SamplingType

No

Location

AlphaNumeric (50)

The location or country of sampling.

Location, Country

No

NumberOfSamples

Integer

The count of the number of times the specified concentration or limit of reporting (LOR) occurs.

NumberOfSamples

Yes

Concentration

Numeric

The concentration or LOR. LORs are specified using a minus (-) sign.

Concentration, Value

Yes

ConcentrationUnit

ConcentrationUnit

The unit of the specified concentrations/LORs (default mg/kg).

ConcentrationUnit, Unit

No