AOAC International is a 501 non-profit scientific association with headquarters in Rockville, Maryland. It was founded in 1884 as the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists and became AOAC International in 1991. It publishes standardized, chemical analysis methods designed to increase confidence in the results of chemical and microbiologic analyses. Government agencies and civil organizations often require that laboratories use official AOAC methods.
History
AOAC International, informally the AOAC, was founded September 8, 1884, as the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, by the United States Department of Agriculture, to establish uniform chemical analysis methods for analyzing fertilizers. In 1927, sponsorship was moved to the newly formed Food, Drug and Insecticide organization which become the Food and Drug Administration in 1930. From its initial scope of analyzing fertilizer, the organization expanded the contents of its methods book to cover dairy products, pesticides, microbiological contamination and animal feeds, among others. In 1965, due to its increasing area of focus for analytical work, the name was changed to the Association of Official Analytical Chemists. The name was changed again to the Association of Analytical Communities to reflect the growing international involvement, and then in 1991 it became AOAC International, with AOAC no longer having any legal meaning. Control of the organization remained with the FDA until 1979 when it became completely independent, although it still has close links to both the FDA and the USDA. Full membership was limited to government analytical chemists until 1987 when membership was extended to industrial scientists. As well as government agencies, members, volunteers and partners now also include people from academia, other international organizations, private laboratories, contract research organizations, instrument manufacturers and rapid assay developers. The AOAC's publications center upon comprehensive analysis methods, including AOAC Methods of Analysis, Official and Provisional Methods of Analysis of the AOAC, and the monthly Journal of AOAC International, currently its principal periodical, subscribed to by university and industry technical libraries and by members of the AOAC.
Activities
AOAC International's technical contributions center on the creation, validation, and global publication of reliable analytical test methods. Their areas of focus include, but are not limited to, safety of foods, beverages, dietary supplements, fertilizers, animal feeds, soil and water, and veterinary drugs. The aim of the test methods is to evaluate the purity of materials used in the production of foodstuffs, and their ingredients. Test methods are of two broad categories: chemical tests and microbiological tests. Before a given method can be approved as an AOAC official method, it is peer reviewed and tested in 8–10 laboratories in what is called a "Collaborative Study". The findings are often published on the Journal of AOAC International. If the OMB approves the recommendation of the Study Director and Committee Chair and approves the method for official status then it is given "First Action" approval. During this time, members can comment on the method and provide feedback about issues or other comments regarding the method. After a year, the OMB can grant "Final Action" status to a method where there has been no feedback serious enough to warrant further investigation. AOAC International publish first and final action Official Methods in the Journal of AOAC International and Official Methods of Analysis. Methods are recognized as official methods by the FDA and other agencies. Members gain free access to the OMA via the web. One of their most visible activities is to be official source for nutrition labeling analysis. AOAC International has eight North American sections, organized geographically, as well as nine geographic sections in the rest of the world. AOAC International conducts a general meeting every fall in August or September which is moved around the United States and held in major cities. They hold a mid-year meeting every March near the headquarters in Rockville, Maryland.
Publications
AOAC has published the peer-reviewed Journal of AOAC International bimonthly since 1915. They also publish the Official Methods of Analysis of AOAC International in hard copy and through the on-line database. The magazine Inside Laboratory Management is published bimonthly for members.
