AOAC RI ERP E-Book - DS DF

OMA 2014.10 C: Collaborative Study Manuscript Expert Review Panel Use Only September, 2017

2013 Dietary Starch in Animal Feeds Collab Study Protocol 072513

U. S. Dairy Forage Research Center, USDA-ARS 1925 Linden Drive Madison, WI 53560 USA

October 26, 2012 Dear Colleague,

I have been appointed Study Director of an AOAC collaborative study of a method for the analysis of dietary starch in animal feeds. I am writing to formally invite your laboratory to participate in this collaborative study as we have communicated previously and at that time you expressed interest in participating. The method has been published in the Journal of the AOAC International (Hall, 2009, volume 92(1) and Hall and Keuler, 2009, volume 92(1)). The collaborative study is planned for 2012 (May - September) and consists of 2 phases. The first phase will involve the analysis of a set of pre-study materials using the method. These samples will be used to verify shipping arrangements, to allow laboratories to familiarize themselves with the method of analysis and to work out any technical issues with the dietary starch method which may arise during the familiarization exercise. The results from the pre-study materials will be evaluated and technical recommendations will be made to the individual laboratories to further refine their analysis to ensure validity of the study results. The second phase of the study will involve the analysis in duplicate of 10 materials for the presence of dietary starch. This study will finalize the performance parameters of the dietary starch method and, if successful, lead to the inclusion of the method into the AOAC’s Official Method of Analysis compendium. Please note that it is critical to the success of the study that you follow the method exactly as written, without any modifications and adhere to the timeline of the study. If any substitutions of recommended chemicals, supplies or equipment are necessary, please inform the Study Director when you report your results for both the pre-study and collaborative study sample sets and, if possible, please communicate with the Study Director prior to commencement of analyses to discuss the proposed substitutions. The initial interest in this study from international colleagues has been excellent and I am looking to finalize the list of participating laboratories. I have included a questionnaire that must be completed and returned by participants by November 8, 2012, to allow sufficient time for preparation for shipment of the pre-study samples. The purpose of completing the questionnaire is as follows; a) Ensure that laboratories are still willing to participate b) Ensure that interested laboratories have the necessary equipment and reagents in place or are able/willing to put acquire these items c) Determine is there are particular regulatory import permits that must be in place prior to the study to ensure that the samples arrive in a timely fashion. If you require more information about the method or the collaborative study please feel free to contact me by E-mail (marybeth.hall@ars.usda.gov) or telephone (608) 890-0078. If you can not commit to the study but are still interested in the method please contact me as well. Thank you for your interest. AOAC Research Institute ERP Use Only

Mary Beth Hall Study Director

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