November 12, 2019

The week of December 2-5, 2019, AOAC is holding Analytical Methods Week, a series of meetings using a new, convenient and popular “virtual” format for method developers and experts to come together and advance analytical science.

This second Analytical Methods Week will feature an orientation, expert review panel (ERP) meetings, working group meetings, and a discussion of non-Codex path Official Methods related to infant formula and adult nutritionals.

All meetings are virtual and are scheduled based on methods received by method submission deadlines and availability of a quorum of expert review panel members.

Schedule  of events

MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2019
9:30am – 11:00am AOAC Expert Review Panel (ERP) Orientation
AOAC staff will lead an orientation for new, current, and prospective ERP members about the Official MethodsSM program and the method review process. For more information, please contact Deborah McKenzie at [email protected].
1:00pm – 5:00pm AOAC ERP for Microbiology Methods for Food and Environmental Surfaces
The ERP will be reviewing candidate methods for First Action Official MethodsSM status, and modifications.  Both AOAC 2017.09 and AOAC 2017.10 will be review for Final Action status consideration using the ERP First Action to Final Action requirements specified in AOAC OMA, Appendix G.  The ERP will also discuss information on fraction results criteria.  For more information, please contact Deborah McKenzie at [email protected].
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2019
2:00pm – 4:00pm AOAC ERP for Ethanol in Tea (Kombucha) Methods
The ERP will be reviewing AOAC 2016.12 for Final Action status consideration using AOAC SMPR 2016.001 and ERP First Action to Final Action requirements specified in AOAC OMA, Appendix G.  For more information, please contact Christopher Dent at [email protected].
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2019
2:00pm – 4:00pm Criteria for Review of Non-Codex Pathway SPIFAN Related Official MethodsSM
OMB Working Group members, ERP for SPIFAN Nutrients, and SPIFAN Working Group chairs will discuss the criteria for review of non-Codex path Official Methods of Analysis as they relates to method action status change and updating the Official Methods of Analysis for infant formula and adult nutritionals.  For more information, please contact Delia Boyd at [email protected].
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019
10:00am – 12:00pm EST AOAC ERP for Furan Methods
This newly formed ERP will be reviewing candidate methods for First Action status using AOAC SMPR 2019.004 for furan and alkyl furans in selected foods.  For more information, please contact Christopher Dent at [email protected].
12:30pm – 2:30pm AOAC ERP for Low-Lactose Methods
This ERP will be reviewing methods invited to be resubmitted from the initial ERP meeting in September.  Using AOAC SMPR 2018.009, the ERP will be reviewing resubmitted method(s) for low lactose. For more information, please contact Christopher Dent at [email protected].

About Analytical Methods Week

Analytical Methods Week was launched in July, 2019 and quickly demonstrated its value with virtual expert review panels passing two new Official Methods, for proanthocyanidins (PAC) and for bisphenol A (BPA). AOAC also held its first virtual public comment sessions for three draft documents developed by working groups for the AOAC Stakeholder Panel on Agent Detection Assays (SPADA) to seek feedback from the biothreat detection community on voluntary consensus guidance documents for in silico analysis, bacterial strain verification, and soil testing.