April 13, 2023

AOAC INTERNATIONAL’s Analytical International Methods and Standards (AIMS) Program co-chairs, Erin Crowley and Morgan Wallace, were recently invited to present to the FDA Cyclospora Task Force on the ongoing work in AIMS regarding SMPR® development for Cyclospora method development. Additional details coming soon!

AIMS, launched in 2022, has worked to develop Standard Method Performance Requirements (SMPRs®) for nonculturable foodborne bacteria and viruses. The program’s primary focus has been on developing an SMPR® for the detection, identification, and characterization of Cyclospora cayetanensis, a coccidian parasite that causes cyclosporiasis in humans.

Rising case numbers and the emergence of C. cayetanensis in domestically grown produce prompted the FDA to bring together multidisciplinary experts to form the FDA Cyclospora Task Force in 2019 to coordinate efforts regarding Cyclospora cayetanensis.