AOAC BOD June 2018 Pre-Meeting Materials

II. 2018 Business Plan Progress Q2 E. Sustainability: Viable Contracts/Business Proposals

1. SPIFAN

Leads: Meiklejohn

Synopsis: AOAC will continue work on SPIFAN activities during the period April 1, 2018 through September 30, 2018. Activities will include publishing relevant outputs and execute actions from the AOAC 2018 Mid-Year Meeting, participating in activities related to Codex endorsement of SPIFAN methods, engaging as appropriate Working Groups related to original SPIFAN priority nutrients, and planning and executing an Expert Review Panel meeting in August in conjunction with the AOAC Annual Meeting. AOAC will continue to coordinate with ISO/IDF and other SPIFAN stakeholders as necessary for the submission of technically equivalent methods for review by the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS) and Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). AOAC will continue to register delegate(s) to represent AOAC at CCMAS and CAC.

2. SPADA Soil Testing Guideline

Leads: McIver/Coates

Synopsis: Evaluation of potential biothreat detection assays for inhibition, interference, and cross-reactivity from components in soil is an essential test to determine the reliability of a candidate biothreat detection assay. Yet, there are no generally agreed-upon standards for the preparation and characterization of soils, nor for the use of soil samples to evaluate candidate biothreat detection assays. Formal published standards would aide both assay developers and evaluators, and provide an increased confidence level for the robustness of assays with regards to soil contamination. Develop two formal standards: 1) preparation of soil samples for the evaluation of biothreat detection assays, and 2) use of soil samples in the evaluation of candidate biothreat detection assays.

3. SPADA Consensus Standards for In Silico Analysis

Leads: McIver/Coates

Synopsis: There is no consensus on the use of in silico PCR analysis, therefore, the standard will address this gap and will provide the biothreat detection community with a consensus regarding the application of in silico PCR analysis. Develop a formal standard describing the application of in silico polymerase chain reaction ( PCR) analysis to biothreat agent assays to predict the overall accuracy and potential cross-reactivities of biothreat agent assays. The standard will prescribe the procedures for the use of in silico PCR

AOAC Board of Directors June 12-13, 2018

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