Guidelines for Laboratories Performing Microbiological and Chemical Analyses of Food, Dietary Supplements, Pharmaceuticals, and Cannabis: An Aid to Interpretation of ISO/IEC 17025:2017 ©
Strengthen your laboratory’s quality system and prepare confidently for ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation.
Your essential guide to interpreting ISO/IEC 17025 with accuracy, consistency, and industry-recognized best practices.
Guidelines Overview
These Guidelines provide practical, sector‑specific guidance to help analytical laboratories understand and apply ISO/IEC 17025:2017. They offer a clear interpretation for laboratories performing microbiological and chemical analyses across food, dietary supplements, pharmaceuticals, and cannabis. The document “provides detailed criteria to aid in assessing the essential requirements for performing these types of analyses” and follows ISO/IEC 17025 section by section to clarify expectations for testing laboratories.
These Guidelines were prepared by AOAC INTERNATIONAL’s Analytical Laboratory Accreditation Criteria Committee (ALACC). The committee is part of AOAC’s Technical Division for Laboratory Management (TDLM), a multidisciplinary group of experts representing microbiology, chemistry, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, and cannabis testing. The revision was led by subcommittee chairs and technical specialists, ensuring the content reflects a broad, authoritative consensus.
This isn’t just guidance — it’s the whole package. The ALACC Guidelines include the full ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard with AOAC’s trusted interpretation built right in. You get the standard and the guidance together, so there’s no need to buy the ISO document separately. It’s a powerful value for any lab pursuing or maintaining accreditation.
Peek Inside
Why These Guidelines Matter
ISO/IEC 17025 is intentionally broad. These Guidelines translate the standard into actionable expectations for analytical testing laboratories, helping organizations:
- Strengthen their quality systems
- Prepare for accreditation
- Improve consistency across locations
- Reduce interpretation differences between assessors
- Align with regulatory expectations
As noted in the document, ISO/IEC 17025 “is, by necessity, broad,” and the Guidelines provide “more precise direction on how to meet the Standard requirements.”
Overview of What’s Inside
The Guidelines interpret ISO/IEC 17025 across major areas of laboratory operation, including:
- Impartiality and confidentiality
- Organizational structure and management responsibility
- Personnel competence and training
- Facilities, equipment, and reference materials
- Method selection, verification, and validation
- Sampling, handling, and reporting
- Measurement uncertainty and data integrity
- Proficiency testing and ongoing validity checks
- Management system requirements
Sector‑specific appendices provide additional considerations for microbiology, chemistry, pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, and cannabis.
Pricing
| Product Type | Member Pricing | Non-Member Pricing | Buy Now |
| Online | $265 | $336 | Individual Use License |
| Print* | $265 | $336 | Print Guide |
| Bundle | $430 | $537 | Bundle |
| *ISBN 0935584-90-0, is a softbound book available plus shipping from the AOAC Store. | |||
Frequently Asked Questions
AOAC Laboratory Accreditation Guidelines (ALACC): Frequently Asked Questions
• Do these Guidelines replace ISO/IEC 17025?
• Who should use these Guidelines?
• Why are these Guidelines valuable?
• Are the Guidelines recognized by accreditation bodies?
• Do the Guidelines include sector specific content?
• How can I purchase the Guidelines and in what format?
• How do I become an AOAC Member?
