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Metals Subgroup Meeting Minutes - Tuesday, September 20th, 2011

The Metals Subgroup was well attended this year which allowed for much needed discussion and debate.  I hope to see more people get involved with the group and the presence at this meeting was very encouraging.

1) Stakeholder Panel on Infant Formula and Adult Nutritionals (SPIFAN) - Bill Mindak provided the attendees with an update on his involvement with the SPIFAN project.  This is a group looking at methods for testing infant formula and adult nutritionals.  A component of this project is the testing of metals, specifically Co, Mo and Se in infant formula.  Bill is a member of the Expert Review Panel (ERP) for these elements and he informed us that methods were evaluated and one was chosen as the method of choice for testing these elements in infant formula.  There was uncertainty on how this method would be moved to final action status. 
ACTION: Bill Mindak to determine if collaborating labs are needed to generate validation data to move the chosen method forward.  If so, Bill will look to this Sub-group to solicit interest.

2) Metals Priority Methods Update
I) Trace Elements in Foods by ICP-MS - Steve Capar and Cory Murphy discussed with the group that work was ongoing for this method.  An AOAC Method Centric Committee was formed and the committee met at the annual AOAC meeting to discuss further actions required to move this method to the OMB for final approval.
UPDATE: The method centric committee has completed its work and the method will be referred to the OMB for final approval as an AOAC official method of analysis.        

ii) Nutritional Elements in Foods by ICP-AES - Eric Poitevin - This method has been accepted by AOAC as first action status.

iii) Inorganic Arsenic in Rice - Eric Poitevin presented to the group his newly published method for speciated As in rice.  There was a lengthy discussion on the need for speciated As reference methods in various foods.  There was a consensus that a small group should be formed to review published methods for speciated As in food.
ACTION: Cory to send an email to the subgroup to see who may be interested in forming a small group within the Sub-group to discuss As speciation methods in food.
UPDATE: Two members of the sub-group have agreed to take on the role of leading a group to review and discuss As speciation methods.  Cory will email Metals Sub-group to solicit interest for this small group.

3) Metals in Food SLV - Cory Murphy discussed the SLV document he has been writing for metals in food.  At the time of this meeting, the document had been split into two distinct papers:
I) Best Practices for Single Laboratory Validation (SLV) of Chemical Methods for Trace Elements in Foods. Part I – Background and General Considerations
ii) Best Practices for Single Laboratory Validation (SLV) of Chemical Methods for Trace Elements in Foods. Part II – Practical Guidelines and Approaches

Cory again looked for input from the group and was looking to have the papers ready for submission to AOAC for publication by Christmas 2011. 
UPDATE: Several Sub-group members have submitted comments.  Based on comments during the meeting the 2 documents have been split further into 3 documents; a background paper and 2 manuscripts (method development and method validation) on practical guidelines and approaches. 
ACTION: Cory to send the subgroup members the compiled comments and the authors’ response to the reviewer comments.  This will take place in late December or early January, 2012.  All three manuscripts will be sent to the Sub-group one more time for review.  Once this is complete, all manuscripts will be submitted to JAOAC for review and hopeful publication. 

4) Metals in Food Method Needs - very brief discussion was held by all.
ACTION: Pls submit ideas for metals in food method needs. 

REPORTS

Metals Subgroup Report, 2010

Metals Subgroup Report, 2009

Metals Subgroup Report, June 7, 2008 [link: Metals Subgroup Report 2008-06-07.pdf]

4th Quarter 2007 Metals Subgroup Report [link: Metals Subgroup Meeting Documents 2007-10-31r.pdf]

Current Metals Subgroup Members (2009-09-04) [link: Metals Members 2009-09-04.pdf]

EMAILS

Email 2008-05-26 from Chair, Metals Subgroup [link: Metals Subgroup Email 2008-05-26 from Subgroup Chair.pdf]
Email 2007-10-09 from Chair, Metals Subgroup [link: Metals Subgroup Email 2007-10-09 from Subgroup Chair.pdf]

Contact Sub Group Chair Cory Murphy at:Cory.Murphy@inspection.gc.ca