Journal of Chemical Metrology Articles

Certified reference materials constitute a fundamental principle of reliable measurements across scientific, industrial, and regulatory domains, as they provide the basis for the formal demonstration of metrological traceability and result comparability. Unfortunately, the availability of certified reference materials for complex plant matrices, particularly fruit or leaves tissues, remains limited. This study presents the scenario for the development of MultiBio CRM, a strawberry-based certified reference material pair comprising leaves and fruit, which reflects compositional characteristics typical of plant materials cultivated under Polish environmental and agricultural conditions. The study further demonstrates a complete, ISO-aligned workflow for the production of plant-based reference materials. The production strategy was designed in accordance with ISO 17034, ISO 33405, and related international requirements for reference material production. It encompasses matrix selection, controlled cultivation and sampling, pre-treatment, drying or lyophilization, particle-size reduction, homogenization, stabilization, and certification. Material homogeneity and stability were verified using statistically designed studies, and uncertainty contributions were evaluated following internationally accepted guidelines. The resulting certified reference materials represent robust, internationally compliant plant matrices and illustrate a comprehensive metrological approach to reference material development. This work addresses a significant gap in existing certified reference material portfolios and supports reliable, traceable measurements in food-safety and environmental analysis.