AOAC ISPAM Quant. Micro Acceptance Criteria 6-28-18

AOAC INTERNATIONAL International Stakeholder Panel on Alternative Methods (ISPAM) Quantitative Microbiology Working Group (WG) Discussion & Summary (June 28, 2018) The call began with a brief history of the WG up until the meeting. This discussion centered on the reasons for the launch of the working group at the AOAC annual meeting, and then the priority sequence determined at the mid-year meeting in March. Upon recap of WG’s discussion up unto that point, Pat Bird then presented data obtained from reviewing quantitative microbiology methods (for total viable count and yeast and mold) evaluated using the current Appendix J guidelines. A discussion of this data lead to a set next step action items in order to meet the goals of the acceptance criteria set in March. The first action item was to discuss establishing acceptance criteria for the difference of means calculation. It was proposed at a 0.5 Log difference be utilized as the acceptance limit as a step to further harmonize with ISO 16140-2. The follow up to this action item is to obtain a written summary of how the acceptance criteria for the ISO standard was determined. An email to Bertrand Lombard and Paul In’t Veld was sent and both individuals have expressed a desire to provide this information. The discussion then turned towards the application of acceptance criteria universally for all quantitative micro methods, or if specific acceptance criteria should be set based on the technology of the new method. Additional data research will be performed to see if this is needed. The third action item was a discussion on determining the application of acceptance criteria as a whole when evaluating methods. Is there a certain limit to the number of times a method can be considered inferior within a food matrix, food category, etc. Further discussion on this topic will be held upon completion of the initial action items. The last item is for the WG to prepare a list of needed items to be included in a workbook in order to perform the necessary calculations for quantitative statistics.