The core competencies of JRC-IRMM are the development, production and distribution of reference materials, the development and validation of methods for food and feed analysis, bioanalysis, isotopic measurements, neutron physics and radionuclide metrology.
These competencies are applied in a variety of research fields: food and feed safety and quality, biotechnology, sustainable agriculture, food allergen research, environment, health, nanotechnology and nuclear safety and security.
The scientific knowledge base of JRC-IRMM is acquired and maintained by both fundamental and applied research in the respective areas. JRC-IRMM staff are members of numerous committees, working groups and scientific boards of international organisations. JRC-IRMM’s work in the field of metrology and standardisation is widely recognised.
For instance, various technical committees of ISO use expert advice of JRC-IRMM on reference materials for their specific application fields, and JRC-IRMM experts participate actively in the work of AOAC International, Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards (VAMAS), International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC), Codex Alimentarius, etc. Many testing methods validated by JRC-IRMM together with its collaborators have been approved as standards of CEN and ISO.