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ingredients. SMPRs are voluntary consensus standards that describe the minimum performance criteria that methods must meet
or exceed. SMPRs are developed by stakeholders in a highly controlled process that ensures that users, research organizations,
government agencies, technology providers, and consumers work together to create a standard that meets the requirements of the
user community.
Draft SMPRs are posted on the AOAC website for an open comment period, and all comments are carefully reviewed and
reconciled, if necessary. SMPRs are reviewed and, if successful, approved by the stakeholder panel.
SMPRs are the valuable result of AOAC’s standards development activities and are integrated into the AOAC
Official
Methods
SM
systematic review process in which ERPs have the authority to adopt methods that meet SMPRs. Once SMPRs are
approved by the stakeholder panel, AOAC issues a call for methods and experts. ERPs, which are thoroughly vetted by the
Official Methods Board (OMB), evaluate the best candidate methods against SMPRs for possible adoption as First Action
Official Methods
SM
.
As part of the project, AOAC is also providing technical guidance and assistance on protocol development for single- and
multilaboratory studies as needed, through the AOAC Research Institute (AOAC is not responsible for collection of laboratory
data).
Approved SMPRs and First Action
Official Methods
SM
are codified and published in the
Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL
and
Official Methods of Analysis.
Next Steps
On September 5, 2014, the AOAC Stakeholder Panel on Dietary Supplements (SPDS) introduced and began standards
development activities for ashwagandha, cinnamon, Folin C, and
Mitragyna speciosa
(kratom). Working groups have developed
draft SMPRs, which are anticipated to be reviewed for possible approval by SPDS in March 2015 during the AOAC Mid-Year
Meeting. Once SMPRs are approved, AOAC will then issue calls for experts and methods for the ingredients.
In addition, as part of the Mid-Year Meeting, working groups are expected to begin standards development activities for three
new ingredients identified as priority by an advisory panel in December 2014: vitamin D, tea, and aloe. Working group chairs
will provide an overview of their respective ingredients, including background information, technical issues, regulatory
requirements, available methodology, and more. Working groups will then develop draft fitness-for-purpose statements, which
will be reviewed by SPDS for possible endorsement, and begin developing draft SMPRs.
For more information on the AOAC SPDS initiative, visi
t www.aoac.org> Standards Development > Stakeholder Panel on
Dietary Supplements or contact
Dawn Frazier
, executive for scientific business development, at
dfrazier@aoac.org.