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AOAC RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Expert Review Panel Chair Report for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Page 4 of 5
MEETING MINUTES
I. Welcome and Introductions
The Expert Review Panel Chair, Tom Phillips welcomed Expert Review Panel members and initiated
introductions. The Chair discussed with the panel the goal of the meeting.
II. Review of AOAC Volunteer Policies
Deborah McKenzie presented an overview of AOAC Volunteer Policies, Volunteer Acceptance Agreement and
and Expert Review Panel Policies and Procedures which included Volunteer Conflicts of Interest, Policy on the
Use of the Association, Name, Initials, Identifying Insignia, Letterhead, and Business Cards, Antitrust Policy
Statement and Guidelines, and the Volunteer Acceptance Form (VAF). All members of the ERP were required
to submit and sign the Volunteer Acceptance Form.
III. Expert Review Panel Process Overview and Guidelines
Deborah McKenzie presented an overview of the Expert Review panel process. The presentation included
information regarding method submission, recruitment of ERP members, composition and vetting expertise,
method assignments, meeting logistics, consensus, First Action to Final Action requirements, method
modifications, publications, and documentation.
IV. Review of Methods
All members of the ERP presented a review and discussed the proposed collaborative study manuscript for the
Determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) In Seafood Using Gas Chromatography-Mass
Spectrometry. The method authors are Katerina Mastovska of Covance Laboratories Inc., Nutritional
Chemistry and Food safety, 3301 Kinsman Boulevard, Madison, WI 53704, USA. A summary of comments was
provided to the ERP members.
1
MOTION:
Motion by Kowalski; Second by Crosswhite to adopt this method as a First Action Official Method.
Consensus demonstrated by: 7 in favor, 1 opposed, and 0 abstentions.
Motion failed.
2
Negative Vote Discussion:
One member of the expert review panel voted against the motion. Due to the
reviewer’s comments, he inquired about the method not using a certified reference material for PAHs in
seafood. Standard Reference Material (SRM) 1974b Mussel Tissue is mentioned as part of the qualification of
the labs as a practice sample, but no data was reported using SRM 1974b for validation of the proposed
method. The availability of SRM 1974c (which has replaced SRM 1974b) provided an excellent opportunity to
use a CRM to validate an AOAC method. The discussion of the Expert Review Panel concluded that the use of
a certified reference material was not required and did not delineate scientific reasoning to not move the
method forward. This method was created in an effort to address an emergency response to the gulf oil spill.
The information provided in reference to the selection of the 19 target PAH compounds and the matrices
selected were noted in the Fitness for Purpose statement established by the Stakeholder Panel on Petroleum
Contaminants in Seafood in 2010. The ERP captured a revote.
1
Attachment 1: Summary of Expert Reviewer Comments for OMAMAN-15
2
Method must be adopted by unanimous decision of ERP on first ballot, if not unanimous, negative votes must delineate scientific
reasons. Negative voter(s) can be overridden by 2/3 of voting ERP members after due consideration.