Quality assurance in age estimation based on aspartic acid racemisation

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