Quality assurance in age estimation based on aspartic acid racemisation

Estimates of the age of living and dead individuals, obtained in order to a nswer legal or social questions, require minimum quality standards in order to guarantee data quality. We present an outline strategy (with recommenda tions) for the attainment of quality assurance in age estimation based on a spartic acid racemisation. The strategy is based on a definition of minimum standards for laboratories, including documentation of procedures, methodo logy and levels of expertise, and the formulation of guidelines for intrala boratory and interlaboratory quality control.