TOPIC: Report on AOAC “Unknowns” Subgroup - Update for 2009 meeting

Activities in 2008- 2009

Summary of Study

A study was conducted with the assistance of Perkin Elmer on a PE Series FTIR. The focus of the study was to assess the capabilities of the FTIR and Quant+ software to “flag” unknown compounds. Quant+ software was set up with a “learning group” of unknowns. Samples spiked with varying levels of the synthetic compounds were then tested by FTIR.

Results of the study

Due to instrument limitations “unknowns” could only be detected in the 3 – 5% range and depended greatly on the “unknown” compound. For instances of gross contamination or adulteration the method appears feasible as a screening tool.

Plans for future study

Discussion at the 2009 meeting to focus on and unknowns round robin study where samples will be spiked and submitted to participating labs to determine how many unknowns can be detected. Discussions to center on which unknowns will be targeted

Minutes from 2008 Meeting

The following is a summary of the meeting during the AOAC Conference in September and forward plans for the “unknowns” subgroup.

Subgroup Attendees:

Name / Orgnizations / e-mail / Method Interests
Vincent Elder / Frito-Lay / / Unknowns
Sam Lalljie / Unilever / / Unknowns
David Klein / Texas Dept of State Health / / Unknowns - Threat Substances
Mary McBride / Agilent technologies / / Unknowns
John M Tennyson / Nat'l Seafood Insp Lab / / Unknowns
Anvivis Sanchez / Canadian Food Inspection Agency / / Unknowns
Joe Jablonski / US FDA / / Unknowns

Summary of Discussion:

The objective of the meeting was to come away with a prioritized list of possible methods to work on. The following is a list of analyte / matrix possibilities generated in the meeting

Analyte MatrixName

PhosphatesSeafoodJohn

Chemical“Fake” PesticidesSam

Threat SubstancesWhite Powders/liquidsDavid

BiomarkersFoodMary

Threat SubstancesInfant Food/formulaJoe

AdulterantsRaw MaterialsVincent

AdulterantsRaw MaterialsMark

The discussion then moved towards a consolidating and prioritizing/ ranking of the list. It was discussed that “threat substances” and “adulterants” could fall under the same category since a similar approach could be used for both in testing. This made this category the focus of what we should move forward on as the prioritized method.

Possible Approaches to Testing

It was then discussed what possible approaches could be used to test for or at least narrow the list when trying to test for possible analytes that might fall into this category. It was discussed that a “Tool Box” with systematic Approach and/or Experience / Knowledge Database could be use to narrow the list considerably. There would need to be some sharing of information to build this database and obviously some database security once built. There then could be some testing / screening conducting depending on which “Decision Tree” you ended up at. The testing could be included at this point in the tree