Tag Archives: AOAC

AOAC International

Analytical Science Leaders Honored at AOAC Internationals 2025 Annual Meeting

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AOAC International

AOAC INTERNATIONAL honored analytical science leaders in an awards ceremony at the AOAC INTERNATIONAL 2025 Annual Meeting & Exposition in San Diego, California, on Monday, August 25. Awards recognized scientific excellence across the spectrum of AOAC collaboration, including method development, expert review panels, editorial contributions to the Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL, and technical service.

The Harvey W. Wiley Award, presented each year for outstanding contribution to analytical method development in an area of interest to AOAC INTERNATIONAL, went to French chemist Eric Verdon. Verdon is the head of the European Union Reference Laboratory (EU-RL) for Antibiotic Veterinary and Dye Residues in Food from Animal Origin. He also heads up the French national reference laboratory at ANSES, the French Agency for Food, Environmental, and Occupational Health Safety. Verdon’s engagement in analytical chemistry has notably influenced the field of Veterinary Drug Residue Control in Foods.

To view the full list of leaders profiled in these awards, visit the 139th AOAC Annual Meeting and Exposition Awards page.

AOAC International
Beltway Beat

AOAC INTERNATIONAL and USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service Establish MOU for Food Test Methods

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AOAC International

In a press release, AOAC INTERNATIONAL (AOAC) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in June. This MOU establishes a strategic framework for developing, validating, and recognizing methods FSIS laboratories, as well as regulated establishments, use to verify the effectiveness of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) based food safety systems.

FSIS is part of a science-based national public health system to ensure food safety and food defense in the United States. FSIS ensures food safety through the authorities of the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products Inspection Act, and the Egg Products Inspection Act, as well as humane animal handling through the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act.

“This new MOU with FSIS marks a pivotal step forward in our shared commitment to promote public health,” said David B. Schmidt, AOAC Executive Director. “By strengthening our collaboration, we are facilitating an even more resilient food safety system—one that ensures regulatory testing is backed by science, vigilance, and trusted methods.”

The MOU outlines how AOAC and FSIS will work together cooperatively where mutual interests have been identified, including collaboration on scientific method training and other educational initiatives; development of Standard Method Performance Requirements (SMPRs®) documents, validation guidance and/or method validation protocols; development of proficiency testing programs; and adoption or certification of methods for specific regulations or monitoring programs, such as Salmonella quantification. Once methods are validated through AOAC Official Methods of AnalysisSM (OMA) or Performance Tested MethodsSM (PTM) programs, there will be greater confidence that methods are fit for purpose and can be used by FSIS laboratories and constituents for applicable testing needs.

“The involvement of FSIS experts in the development of AOAC standards and evaluation of methods submitted for method conformity assessment through AOAC OMA and PTM programs is very important for ensuring their fitness for purpose from both scientific and regulatory perspectives,” said Katerina Mastovska, Ph.D., AOAC Deputy Executive Director and Chief Science Officer.

AOAC International

AOAC INTERNATIONAL Announces Dr. Eric Verdon as the 2025 Wiley Award Winner

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AOAC International

AOAC INTERNATIONAL announced that French chemist Dr. Eric Verdon is the recipient of the 2025 Harvey W. Wiley Award, the Association’s highest honor for lifetime scientific achievement.

Dr. Eric Verdon is the head of the European Union Reference Laboratory (EU-RL) for Antibiotic Veterinary and Dye Residues in Food from Animal Origin. He also heads up the French national reference laboratory at ANSES, the French Agency for Food, Environmental, and Occupational Health Safety.

Verdon’s engagement in analytical chemistry has notably influenced the field of Veterinary Drug Residue Control in Foods. He has been instrumental in the development of different analytical methods using High Performance Liquid Chromatography detecting both ultraviolet light and fluorescence (HPLC/UV and HPLC/FLD), and Liquid Chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LCMS/ MS) in accordance with European Union regulatory standards.

A member of AOAC since 2002, Verdon has been the recipient of the AOAC Fellow Award in 2018, the AOAC Method of the Year in 2016 for AOAC 2012.25 for use in the veterinary drug residue / marine and freshwater foods community, and the 2013 Expert Review Panel of the Year for Veterinary Drugs.

AOAC leadership will present Verdon with the 2025 Wiley Award at the 2025 AOAC Annual Meeting & Exposition, from August 23 to 28, 2025, in San Diego, California, USA

Allergen Alley

Analytical Science Leaders Honored at AOAC’s 2024 Annual Meeting

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Awards recognized scientific excellence across the spectrum of AOAC collaboration, including method development, expert review panels, editorial contributions to the Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL, and technical service.

The Harvey W. Wiley Award, presented each year for outstanding contribution to analytical method development in an area of interest to AOAC International, went to Michelle Colgrave, internationally recognized for her work on foodborne proteins that trigger allergy or intolerance or, conversely, those peptides and proteins that can provide health benefits when included in foods. She is a professor of Food and Agricultural Proteomics at Edith Cowan University and chief investigator at the Australian Research Council Center of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science.

The highest volunteer award bestowed by AOAC, the William Horwitz Award, recognizes extraordinary service to the Association. The seldom nominated William Horwitz Award was presented to Erik J.M. Konings, who has extensive experience in development of methods of analysis for vitamins in food and food products.

To view the full list of leaders profiled in these awards, visit the 138th AOAC Annual Meeting and Exposition Awards page.

Listeria

Thermo Scientific SureTect Listeria PCR Assays Granted AOAC Official Methods First Action

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Listeria

A poster by Thermo Scientific presented ay the 2022 IAFP Conference in August showed validation methods of the company’s SureTect Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria species PCR Assays, which led to AOAC recognition for official method of first action.

For the unpaired collaborative study, Evangelos J Vandoros, et al, compared the SureTect Listeria PCR Assays Method to the method outlined in the FDA-Bam Chapter 10. The matrix used for the study was full-fat cottage cheese with a test portion of 25g.

The researchers validated both SureTect Listeria PCR Assays (Listeria species and Listeria monocytogenes) in this study, as they follow the same method protocol and are validated for the same matrices.

Outcomes showed consolidated dLPOD data from 12 collaborators for the SureTect Listeria PCR methods and the FDA-BAM Chapter 10 reference method. The data was within confidence intervals showing that there was no significant difference between the SureTect methods and the reference method. The time to result was less than 24 hours.

Based on these findings, the SureTect Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria species PCR Assays were both granted AOAC Official Methods First Action

The validated categories for the assays include milk and dairy, fresh produce, seafood, raw meat, ready to eat/reheat and environmental,

AOAC International

AOAC Sinks Teeth into Cannabis Testing, Launches Food Fraud Program

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AOAC International

Last week Cannabis Industry Journal, a sister publication of Food Safety Tech, published its interview with AOAC International officials about the organization’s commitment to cannabis lab testing, where it sees this area headed in the future and the launch of its food authenticity and fraud program. AOAC first entered the realm of cannabis testing a few years ago and is making strides to get further involved with “methods regarding chemical contaminants in cannabis, cannabinoids in various foods and consumables, as well as microbial organisms in cannabis,” according to the article. AOAS also recently launched a food authenticity and fraud program to develop standards and methods geared toward economically adulterated foods. Read more about AOAC’s latest development on the food front as well as its push in cannabis lab testing in the article, “Spotlight on AOAC: New Leadership, New Initiatives in Cannabis and Food”.

Palmer Orlandi talks about role of labs & FSMA

Former FDA Food Safety Scientist Palmer Orlandi Joins AOAC as Chief Science Officer

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Palmer Orlandi talks about role of labs & FSMA

Today AOAC International announced its appointment of Palmer Orlandi, Jr., Ph.D. to deputy executive director and chief science officer of the organization. Orlandi is Rear Admiral and U.S. Assistant Surgeon General, and formerly the senior science officer and research director at FDA’s Office of Foods and Veterinary Medicine. He is also and on Food Safety Tech’s Editorial Advisory Board.

“We are eager to work with Dr. Orlandi to help drive the development and execution of our science strategy to capitalize on the opportunities in front of us,” said AOAC Executive Director David B. Schmidt in a press release. “He will strengthen our ability to solve public health dilemmas and make an impact in the analytical communities. With Palmer’s impressive background and extensive knowledge in global food safety, we are confident that he will help lead and advance AOAC’s mission further as we enter our next chapter.”

Palmer Orlandi promoted
Palmer Orlandi, Jr. Ph.D., during his promotion to Rear Admiral and Assistant Surgeon General in 2017.

Orlandi’s appointment is effective next Monday, December 17. His responsibilities will include overseeing the AOAC Research Institute, standards development and proficiency testing. He will also engage in business development and strategic partnerships to advance voluntary consensus standards and international relations.

Palmer Orlandi, FDA, Food Safety Consortium
Palmer Orlandi discusses FSMA and laying the groundwork for data acceptance in lab partnerships at the Food Safety Consortium. WATCH NOW

Orlandi has 20 years of experience at FDA, with his work beginning at a research lab at CFSAN. There he developed rapid and molecular detection methods for Cyclospora and Cryptosporidia and the Microsporidia (emerging food-and waterborne protozoan parasites). In 2008 he became the science coordinator in the Division of Field Science in FDA’s ORA where he oversaw collaborative analytical methods programs for ORA and the Food Emergency Response Network. In 2012 he took on the role of senior science advisor to the chief scientist officer at the Office of Food and Veterinary Medicine. He played an active role in integrating science and research efforts across the agency’s foods program, and working to align research and lab programs to regulatory field lab needs. He earned the rank of Rear Admiral and Assistant Surgeon General in 2017.

3M Campylobacter Assay Enrichment Broth

3M Receives AOAC Certification for Rapid Campylobacter Test

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3M Campylobacter Assay Enrichment Broth
3M Campylobacter Assay Enrichment Broth
3M Campylobacter Assay Enrichment Broth (Image courtesy of 3M Food Safety)

This week 3M Food Safety announced that its Molecular Detection Assay 2 test for Campylobacter received the Performance Tested Methods (PTM) Certificate number 111803 from the AOAC Research Institute. This designation validates 3M’s assay enrichment broth as an improvement and/or equivalent alternative to USDA FSIS and ISO reference methods for detecting Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter lari, according to a 3M Food Safety press release. The assay uses Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) technology to overcome the complex instrumentation requirements of PCR tools.

“We are excited to receive this certification from the AOAC Research Institute,” said Cynthia Zook, 3M Food Safety commercialization manager. “LAMP technology continues to perform exceptionally well compared to conventional tests. We’re proud to be a part of a sea-change in the industry as we continue to innovate and create technologies like this one that are as simple, accurate, fast and reliable as possible.”

During the certification process, an independent lab tested the assay on several matrices, including whole raw chicken carcass rinses, raw poultry parts rinses, raw ground poultry rinses, raw turkey carcass sponges and breaded chicken nuggets.

CERTUS system

CERTUS Achieves AOAC Performance Tested Certification

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CERTUS system

This week CERTUS announced that it achieved AOAC Performance Tested certification for its rapid pathogen detection platform, the CERTUS System. The system uses SERS nanoparticle technology and real-time detection to provide users with faster results versus sending the samples to a third-party via mail.

AOAC validation gives small-to-mid size processing facilities an assurance on the reliability and efficiency of CERTUS’s in-house environmental Listeria monitoring process, according to CERTUS.. The company’s system has been certified for use on stainless steel, concrete, plastic and ceramic surfaces. The CERTUS system provides 98% accuracy by targeting organisms without destroying them and reducing the effect of substances commonly found in environmental food samples on assay results.

“We’re extremely proud and put tremendous value on achieving AOAC certification within two years of beginning our journey to help protect food production beyond a shadow of a doubt,” said CERTUS President John Coomes in a press release. “Recognition by AOAC, coupled with our robust R&D team and strong financial backing, demonstrates that we are moving quickly to bring unmatched, precise solutions to food processors across the industry.”

3M, E.Coli, rapid testing

3M Earns AOAC PTM Certification for E.Coli and Coliform Test

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3M, E.Coli, rapid testing

3M Food Safety has received the AOAC Research Institute’s Performance Tested Method Certification for its Petrifilm Rapid E.coli/Coliform Count Plate. Introduced in February, the rapid microbial test helps food and beverage processors detect the presence of E.coli and other coliform bacteria. The test can recover E.coli and distinguish it from other coliforms within 18–24 hours.

The AOAC PTM designation validated the count plate as an equivalent alternative to FDA and ISO standard references to enumerate these bacteria. The evaluation was performed by an independent lab on food and environmental surfaces that include raw and pasteurized dairy products; raw and prepared meat; poultry and seafood; fresh fruit and product; and baby food, pet food and flour.

3M Food Safety is also pursuing MicroVal validation in accordance with ISO 16140-2.