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AOAC Adopts 19 First Action Methods and 11 SMPRs More than 870 (up 9% from last year) members, volunteers, and stakeholders from around the world attended the 126th AOAC Annual Meeting and Exposition, September 30-October 3, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, to work toward setting standards and finding the best methods that are fit for purpose and most needed in their communities. Major outcomes of the 126th AOAC Annual Meeting included: * Adoption of 19 Official MethodsSM for infant formula (whey/casein, iodine, pantothenate, carnitine, vitamins A, D, and E, fatty acids, inositol, choline, and vitamin C) and foods (antioxidants and flavanols in foods; dyes in seafood) * Approval of 11 standard method performance requirements (SMPRs) for infant formula (iodine, pantothenate, carnitine, fatty acids, vitamin C, and choline) and foods (vitamins A, D, E, and K and heavy metals) * Approval of two methods as Final Action--the first ones to be adopted as Final Action using the stakeholder process--for veterinary drug residues (ractopamine and narasin/monensin) This year’s meeting—the highest attended AOAC Annual Meeting to date--featured more than 280 poster presentations; 70 booths; 58 exhibiting companies; 23 scientific sessions; 15 exhibitor/partner presentations; 3 preconference stakeholder meetings, and 6 ERPs, as well as committee, community, and Section meetings. As this year’s keynote speaker, Robert H. Miller, divisional vice president, Abbott Nutrition, R&D, Innovation and Scientific Affairs, provided on October 1, 2012, a personal perspective at how the infant formula industry engaged AOAC INTERNATIONAL to drive the development of standards for global consensus reference methods, using the Association’s proven process for third-party consensus building. He elaborated on this process and the valuable experience with the AOAC Stakeholder Panel on Infant Formula and Adult Nutritionals (SPIFAN). In his Wiley Award Address, "Recent Quality Assurance for Initiatives for the Food and Feed Analysis Laboratory--Are We on the Right Path?" Roger Wood, retired from the UK Food Standards Agency, focused on requirements to which food and feed control laboratories are now subjected as a result of international initiatives. He highlighted the current emphasis on third-party assessment, including requirements regarding accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 and proficiency testing; introduction to the criteria approach for methods of analysis; and issues with the adoption and endorsement by some organizations of proprietary methods. By all accounts, the AOAC Annual Meeting was impressive, featuring innovations in science and presentations from preeminent leaders in the global sciences community. But perhaps most importantly, it captured the true value of AOAC--the passion, dedication, and involvement of members. To all of the attendees, organizers, exhibitors, partners, and sponsors of the meeting, thank you for making the 126th AOAC Annual Meeting a success. Full coverage of the 126th AOAC Annual Meeting is scheduled for the November/December 2012 issue of Inside Laboratory Management.
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