The food testing community
Ensuring the safety and integrity of food is a fundamental public health concern. However, even a short list of potential food dangers – pathogens, heavy metals, pesticides, adulteration – reveals the issue is as complex as it is vital. These dangers manifest themselves across the entire food supply chain, and it takes a vast array of skills, methods, and technology to assess them, as well as cooperation at multiple levels to inform the policies needed to prevent them.
Expertise as diverse as this is rarely centralized. More often, it is spread across countless analysts and agencies, each one essential. If, as the proverb says, “it takes a village to raise a child,” it similarly takes a community to ensure safe food.
The role of AOAC INTERNATIONAL
AOAC INTERNATIONAL is just such a community. An association of professionals in analytical sciences, AOAC INTERNATIONAL was first established in 1884 as part of the USDA. It later moved under the auspices of the FDA before becoming an independent entity in the late 1970s.
Dr. Kate Mastovska is the deputy executive director and chief science officer at AOAC. In her role, she leads all science programs and projects, including the AOAC Official Methods of Analysis program, the Research Institute, and the Proficiency Testing program, as well as many scientific initiatives on varied topics. Notably, the AOAC “team” extends well beyond the institution itself, encompassing a global collective of skilled and like-minded scientists focused on food safety and product integrity.
AOAC INTERNATIONAL is pivotal in the field of food testing as it is responsible for developing and validating analytical methods to guarantee the safety and quality of food products. Some of their key functions include developing standard methods, conducting proficiency testing, establishing Official Methods of Analysis, and providing training and education to the community. Members convene throughout the year to work on method development and gather annually at the global meeting.
“We’re a volunteer organization, with a lot of positive energy generated by a lot of very nice, very smart people,” Dr. Mastovska said. “I feel privileged to be part of it. Every day is different and exciting for me, because I get to work with people who are really the best in their fields.”
Solving food safety and integrity issues, together
As you’d expect, the AOAC community is diverse, comprising people from across government, industry, and academia. All these experts come together through a shared concern, each bringing their own unique perspectives on how best to improve food safety and product integrity, and how to make testing faster, more reliable, and more consistently implemented.
“I would say that’s the biggest value of AOAC – the way we bring people together,” Dr. Mastovska said. “I see people who are competitors in their primary careers sitting around the same table, not competing but working together on one standard or official method development, trying to improve things in the in the space they work in. I'd never really seen this before joining AOAC. The other great value of AOAC is in providing reliable solutions to people. We drive the creation of methods, standards, and guidelines that labs around the world find useful and reliable.”
This viewpoint is shared by collaborators from outside AOAC as well. Dr. Lukas Vaclavik, a technical manager at Eurofins Food Chemistry Testing in Madison, Wisconsin, and Dr. Kevin Kubachka, a chemist at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s National Forensic Chemistry Center, both report experiences that mirror those of Dr. Mastovska.
“My role is as a technical resource supporting the contaminants and residue testing group, helping address scientific issues, discussing technical topics with clients, and so on,” Dr. Vaclavik said. “The areas of AOAC we are interested in mainly relate to contaminants and residue testing, ranging from natural toxins to persistent organic pollutants such as PFAS, particularly in infant formula and dietary supplements. AOAC presents a great opportunity to network, collaborate, meet our clients, and keep pace with the industry when it comes to hot topics and testing needs.”
“My work at the FDA focuses on elemental analysis, mostly metals,” Dr. Kubachka added. “We look for toxic metals like arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, and others. We also do a lot of speciation analysis. The AOAC community is a good way to get in touch with everybody that's involved in the different program areas; it brings everyone together to solve problems. We get the government agency perspective, as well as input from industry, instrument manufacturers, academia, independent testing labs – everybody works together to address issues across multiple agendas. And the scene is constantly evolving, so AOAC represents a good way to get together and align on the objectives.”
Staying on top of emerging food safety challenges
The constantly evolving nature of the task is critical; new threats appear regularly, and new technologies are constantly being added to the analyst’s toolbox. It is not a field that rewards falling behind.
“The challenges are never ending,” Dr. Mastovska agreed. “There's always something new. In current testing approaches, we’re always trying to go lower or faster. Then there are new regulations, and new issues with completely novel classes of food products, novel allergens, novel matrices – we’re constantly seeing challenges we may have never considered.”
Protecting people with pride
How do these scientists deal with the responsibility of aiming at the constantly moving target of food safety threats, when the possible implications of a miss can have real-world consequences?
“The really inspiring thing about food testing is the ability to contribute to making food and dietary supplements safer,” Dr. Vaclavik said. “For me, that's the main impact. Having this opportunity and being able to address challenges with food safety, that's really what drives me, and it reinforces the value of organizations like AOAC, where everyone shares the same goal.”
“What inspires me about my area of food testing is feeling like I make a difference,” Dr. Kubachka said. “The FDA has a hand in making food safer for everyone. And it’s not just some hypothetical “everyone” – I have two kids and a wife and other family members that I want to keep safe. That’s how I think of it; it makes it easy for me to stay motivated to do my part.”
As for Dr. Mastovska, AOAC has become the lens through which she views her role as a scientist. “I was an active volunteer at AOAC for 20 years before joining the staff a year and a half ago,” she said. “I've been an author and a collaborator on AOAC official methods; I’ve worked with others to develop many different AOAC standards. While I’m proud of all these accomplishments, I’m especially proud of the fact that it has all been so collaborative. My achievements have been achievements of the AOAC community. This is a great place to become a better scientist, but the most special thing is what you get back as a human being. I have devoted a great deal of my time and effort to AOAC, but I really feel AOAC has given me more.”