31st International Symposium on Chromatography—Cork, Ireland
The major focus of the symposium was the impact and continuing contribution of chromatography and separation science to meet the needs of the pharmaceutical, food, health, science and medicine industry. The symposium programme reflected on these themes and highlight new challenges and emerging opportunities for the science of separation and detection systems and methods.
Just prior to the start of the conference I took some personal time and visited Skellig Michael, a small island west of the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. It is best known for its Gaelic monastery, founded between the 6th and 8th centuries, and its variety of inhabiting species, which include gannets, puffins, a colony of razorbills and a population of approximately fifty grey seals. The monastery can be reached by climbing narrow and steep stone steps. It's an amazing place, made all the more special given the difficulty in getting there. I would love to visit again.
Paper accepted for publication entitled "The determination of vitamin D3 and 25‑hydroxyvitamin D3 in early lactation and seasonal bovine milk" to be published in Journal of AOAC International. This paper describes a study concerning endogenous vitamin D content that will enhance formulation capability related to the production of bovine milk-based paediatric products.
At the 39th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission held in Rome, the nucleotides in infant formula by HPLC‑UV method I developed was officially adopted as a Type II reference method. A Type II method is recommended for use in cases of dispute and for calibration purposes. Codex Alimentarius is a collection of internationally recognized standards, codes of practice, guidelines, and other recommendations relating to foods, food production, and food safety.
Paper accepted for publication entitled "Analysis of vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 in fortified milk powders, infant and nutritional formulas by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: First Action 2016.05" to be published in Journal of AOAC International. This paper describes the single laboratory validation of an LC-MS method against SPIFAN kit samples and compared with parameters defined according to the vitamin D SMPR.
SPIFAN meetings at AOAC Mid-Year Meeting—Gaithersburg, MD, USA
I attended the 13th stakeholder meeting of AOAC Stakeholder Panel on Infant Formula and Adult Nutrition (SPIFAN) and the Expert Review Panel (ERP) to discuss the current developments in methods of analysis for infant formula and reviewing and developing standards for global acceptance. Our vitamin D LC‑MS/MS method was endorsed by the Expert Review Panel as an now AOAC Official First Action Method (AOAC 2016.05).
CCMAS endorsement of nucleotides method—Budapest, Hungary
At the 37th session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS) held in Budapest, the nucleotides method I developed was recommended to be adopted as a Codex Type II 'Reference Method' for dispute resolution and calibration purposes.
Paper accepted for publication entitled "The free and total myo‑inositol contents of early lactation and seasonal bovine milk" to be published in the International Dairy Journal. This paper describes the application of an HPAEC‑PAD method to the determination of endogenous free and total myo‑inositol in bovine milk.
Standards New Zealand article—Wellington, New Zealand
Standards New Zealand published an article entitled: Ensuring that infant formulas deliver adequate nutrition, describing the input from New Zealand experts in developing new standards through International Standards Organisation (ISO) and Codex Alimentarius.
Nucleotides method published as ISO standard—Geneva, Switzerland
ISO international standards are developed for verifying compliance of such products with labelling regulations for nutrients. ISO standards are developed by a working group of global experts, that form part of larger groups called technical committees. These experts negotiate all aspects of the standard, including its scope, key definitions and content. ISO standards are developed through a multi-stakeholder process and the technical committees are made up of experts from the relevant industry, academia, and government. Developing ISO standards is a consensus-based approach and comments from all stakeholders are taken into account.
International standards specifying methods for testing vitamins and other micronutrients in infant formula will help ensure their nutrient content conforms to their declaration. To verify that infant formulas deliver all the necessary nutrients, accurate analytical test methods are required. These methods will provide internationally validated anchor points to calibrate routine methods for manufacturing purposes. Hence, these new analytical standards are poised to become critical enablers, ensuring that infant formulas deliver adequate nutrition to children.
The analytical method for nucleotides in infant formula I developed is now an ISO standard and published as ISO 20638:2015 Infant formula--Determination of nucleotides by liquid chromatography.
Attended the ISO TC34/WG14 Meeting to discuss adoption of SPIFAN methods as ISO international standards. The city of Brussels is very picturesque, and I walked every day through the park opposite the Royal Palace.
31st International Symposium on Chromatography—Cork, Ireland
The major focus of the symposium was the impact and continuing contribution of chromatography and separation science to meet the needs of the pharmaceutical, food, health, science and medicine industry. The symposium programme reflected on these themes and highlight new challenges and emerging opportunities for the science of separation and detection systems and methods.
Just prior to the start of the conference I took some personal time and visited Skellig Michael, a small island west of the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. It is best known for its Gaelic monastery, founded between the 6th and 8th centuries, and its variety of inhabiting species, which include gannets, puffins, a colony of razorbills and a population of approximately fifty grey seals. The monastery can be reached by climbing narrow and steep stone steps. It's an amazing place, made all the more special given the difficulty in getting there. I would love to visit again.
Paper accepted for publication
Paper accepted for publication entitled "The determination of vitamin D3 and 25‑hydroxyvitamin D3 in early lactation and seasonal bovine milk" to be published in Journal of AOAC International. This paper describes a study concerning endogenous vitamin D content that will enhance formulation capability related to the production of bovine milk-based paediatric products.
Codex adoption of nucleotides method—Rome, Italy
At the 39th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission held in Rome, the nucleotides in infant formula by HPLC‑UV method I developed was officially adopted as a Type II reference method. A Type II method is recommended for use in cases of dispute and for calibration purposes. Codex Alimentarius is a collection of internationally recognized standards, codes of practice, guidelines, and other recommendations relating to foods, food production, and food safety.
Paper accepted for publication
Paper accepted for publication entitled "Analysis of vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 in fortified milk powders, infant and nutritional formulas by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry: First Action 2016.05" to be published in Journal of AOAC International. This paper describes the single laboratory validation of an LC-MS method against SPIFAN kit samples and compared with parameters defined according to the vitamin D SMPR.
SPIFAN meetings at AOAC Mid-Year Meeting—Gaithersburg, MD, USA
I attended the 13th stakeholder meeting of AOAC Stakeholder Panel on Infant Formula and Adult Nutrition (SPIFAN) and the Expert Review Panel (ERP) to discuss the current developments in methods of analysis for infant formula and reviewing and developing standards for global acceptance. Our vitamin D LC‑MS/MS method was endorsed by the Expert Review Panel as an now AOAC Official First Action Method (AOAC 2016.05).
CCMAS endorsement of nucleotides method—Budapest, Hungary
At the 37th session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS) held in Budapest, the nucleotides method I developed was recommended to be adopted as a Codex Type II 'Reference Method' for dispute resolution and calibration purposes.
Paper accepted for publication
Paper accepted for publication entitled "The free and total myo‑inositol contents of early lactation and seasonal bovine milk" to be published in the International Dairy Journal. This paper describes the application of an HPAEC‑PAD method to the determination of endogenous free and total myo‑inositol in bovine milk.
Standards New Zealand article—Wellington, New Zealand
Standards New Zealand published an article entitled: Ensuring that infant formulas deliver adequate nutrition, describing the input from New Zealand experts in developing new standards through International Standards Organisation (ISO) and Codex Alimentarius.
Nucleotides method published as ISO standard—Geneva, Switzerland
ISO international standards are developed for verifying compliance of such products with labelling regulations for nutrients. ISO standards are developed by a working group of global experts, that form part of larger groups called technical committees. These experts negotiate all aspects of the standard, including its scope, key definitions and content. ISO standards are developed through a multi-stakeholder process and the technical committees are made up of experts from the relevant industry, academia, and government. Developing ISO standards is a consensus-based approach and comments from all stakeholders are taken into account.
International standards specifying methods for testing vitamins and other micronutrients in infant formula will help ensure their nutrient content conforms to their declaration. To verify that infant formulas deliver all the necessary nutrients, accurate analytical test methods are required. These methods will provide internationally validated anchor points to calibrate routine methods for manufacturing purposes. Hence, these new analytical standards are poised to become critical enablers, ensuring that infant formulas deliver adequate nutrition to children.
The analytical method for nucleotides in infant formula I developed is now an ISO standard and published as ISO 20638:2015 Infant formula--Determination of nucleotides by liquid chromatography.
ISO TC34/WG14 Meeting—Brussels, Belgium
Attended the ISO TC34/WG14 Meeting to discuss adoption of SPIFAN methods as ISO international standards. The city of Brussels is very picturesque, and I walked every day through the park opposite the Royal Palace.