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AOAC RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Expert Review Panel Chair Report for Microbiology for Foods and Environmental Surfaces
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EXPERT REVIEW PANEL, METHOD BACKGROUND, AND CONCLUSIONS
Criteria for Vetting Methods to be considered:
AOAC convened the
Official Methods of Analysis
SM
(OMA) Expert Review Panel for Microbiology for Foods and
Environmental Surfaces on Sunday, September 27, 2015 during the AOAC Annual Meeting and Exposition held at
the Westin Bonaventure Hotel, 404 South Figueroa Street,Los Angeles, California 90071.
The purpose of the meeting was to review and evaluate OMAMAN-25: Evaluation of the 3M™Petrifilm™Rapid
Aerobic Count Plate for the Enumeration of Aerobic Bacteria: Collaborative Study submitted by Bob Jechorek of
3M Food Safety, located at 3M Center, Building 260-06-B-01, St. Paul, MN 55144 and Erin Crowley of Q
Laboratories, located at 1400 Harrison Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45214.
Supplemental information was also provided to the reviewers which included the collaborative study
manuscript, collaborative study protocol, method safety checklist, method user guide, and the AOAC
Performance Tested Methods
SM
validation report for #121403.
Criteria for Vetting Experts and Selection Process:
The current Expert Review Panel (ERP) consisting of ten (10) experts and one (1) alternate were submitted for
considerationby the Official Methods Board to evaluate candidate methods for microbiology methodsas perthe
Expert Review Panel (ERP) Policies and Procedures.The candidates were highly recommended by the
Microbiology Community, have participated in various AOACactivities, including but limited to, Method Centric
Committees that were formed under the legacy OMA pathway, and were vetted by the Official Methods Board.
The experts are Wendy McMahon (Co-Chair), Michael Brodsky (Co-Chair), Maya Achen, Patrice Arbault, Mark
Carter, Peyman Fatemi, Maria Christina Fernandez, Tom Hammack/Yi Chen (alternate), Tony Hitchins, and
Yvonne Salfinger.
ERP Orientation:
All ERP members have completed the mandatory AOAC Expert Review Panel Orientation Webinar.
Expert Review Panel Meeting Quorum
The meeting of the Expert Review Panel was held in person. A quorum is the presence of seven (7) members or
2/3 of the total vetted ERP, whichever is greater. Eight (8) members, out of theten(10) voting members and one
(1) alternate, were present and therefore met a quorum to conduct the meeting.
Standard Method Performance Requirements (SMPRs):
N/A
Conclusion:
The ERP reviewedOMAMAN-25: Evaluation of the 3M™Petrifilm™Rapid Aerobic Count Plate for the Enumeration
of Aerobic Bacteria: Collaborative Study and adopted the method for AOAC First Action Official Method status.
In addition, seven (7) AOAC First Action Official Methods were recommended for AOAC Final Action Official
Methods status. Those methods are AOAC 2012.02, AOAC 2013.01, AOAC 2013.02, AOAC 2013.09, AOAC
2013.10, AOAC 2013.011, and AOAC 2013.14. These methods were reviewed by consensus as noted in the
meeting minutes.