SPSFAM Allergens ERP

AOAC SPSFAM ERP REVIEW: MAIN FORM

Submission Date

2016-09-16 11:49:10

Name

Melanie Downs

E-mail

mdowns2@unl.edu

Organization

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Title of Method

Detection and Quantification of Selected Food Allergens using LC-MS/MS

AOAC Candidate Method Number (e.g. ALN-01)

ALL-01

Applicable SMPR

2016.002

Summary:

The authors have submitted a method which they claim detects and quantifies egg, milk, peanut, and hazelnut in various food matrices, in accordance with AOAC SMPR 2016.002. However, the authors have left out significant information about how the method performance was evaluated. It is also difficult to tell from the presentation of the method whether the authors have an understanding of the core concepts of food allergen detection.

1. Does the applicability of the method support the applicability of the SMPR? If not, please explain what is missing. 2. Does the analytical technique(s) used in the method meet the SMPR? If not, please specify how it differs from what is stated in the SMPR. 3. Are the definitions specified in the SMPR used and applied appropriately in the method? If no, please indicate how the terms are used. 4. Does the method, as written, contain all appropriate precautions and warnings related to the method's reagents, components, instrumentation, or method steps that may be hazardous? If no, please suggest wording or option(s).

Yes.

Yes.

It is unclear throughout the method whether the terms and units used by the authors are the same as those outlined in the SMPR. In particular, the definition of the food allergens in the SMPR does not seem to be consistently applied and/or the terms are not described at all in the method. For example, the SMPR gives a definition for whole egg, but the only material described in the method for egg, is purified egg albumin (ovalbumin), and when the term “egg” is used throughout the method, it is unclear exactly what the authors are referring to.

Yes.