2018 AOAC China Section Forum on Food Analytical Science and Standards Opens in Kunming

2018 AOAC China Section Forum on Food Analytical Science and Standards Opens in Kunming

The 2018 AOAC China Section Forum on Food Analytical Science and Standards, co-sponsored by the China Society of Inspection and Quarantine (CSIQ) and AOAC China Section, was held in Kunming on May 3-4, 2018.

More than 400 delegates attended the Forum, including Mr. Chen Hongjun, Vice Administrator of Standardization Administration of China (SAC), Mr. Zhou Qi, Vice President of CSIQ, Mr. Xu Zizhong, Kunming Customs (Deputy General Director of formerly Yunnan Bureau of Inspection and Quarantine), Ms. DeAnn L. Benesh, President of AOAC INTERNATIONAL, Ms. Lei Bao, Board director of AOAC INTERNATIONAL, Dr. Harrie van den Bijgaart, Chair of ISO/TC 34/SC 5 and Chair of the IDF Methods Standards Steering Group, Dr. Erik Konings, former President of AOAC and Chair of ISO TC34 Working Group on Vitamins, Dr. George Joseph, member of INCA/AOAC CODEX Strategy Group, and leaders of National Health Commission (NHC), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, as well as scientific and technical personnel engaged in food safety testing from around the world.

Mr. Liang Chengzhu, President of AOAC China Section and Director of Shandong Inspection and Quarantine Technology Center, presided over the opening ceremony. Mr. Xu Zizhong, Deputy Director of Kunming Customs, delivered a welcoming speech, and Mr. Zhou Qi, CSIQ Vice President, addressed the forum on behalf of CSIQ and CSIQ President Mr. Wei Chuanzhong.

Mr. Zhou Qi expressed a warm welcome to the AOAC guests, overseas friends, industry experts and delegates to the forum, and briefed the participants on CSIQ and NHC's efforts to track and evaluate food safety standards and the collaboration with AOAC. He said that CSIQ will get actively involved in the formulation and revision of AOAC standards and China's national standards to promote the internationalization of Chinese standards while serving as a bridge for communication between AOAC and the Chinese Government and related departments.

Mr. Chen Hongjun, Vice Administrator of SAC, delivered a keynote speech. He provided updates on China's national standard management system, standardization reform, and engagement in international standardization activities, with focus on the involvement of various shareholders in the development of international standards on food safety. SAC will further strengthen unified management and coordination of standardization, encourage CSIQ and AOAC China Section to fully serve as a bridge, and stimulate the active participation of food safety organizations and technical experts in the development and revision of ISO, AOAC, CODEX, and IDF international standards, so as to continuously improve the international level of China's food safety standards, Chen added.

Ms. DeAnn L. Benesh, President of AOAC INTERNATIONAL, introduced AOAC's historical evolution, work content and objectives, and Dr. Harrie van den Bijgaart, Chair of ISO/TC 34/SC 5 and Chair of the IDF Methods Standards Steering Group, presented ISO standardization and ISO standards. Mr. Shi Gensheng, Director of the NHC Department of Food Safety Standards, Monitoring and Evaluation, shared the latest developments in national food safety standards. Dr. Liang Chengzhu, President of AOAC China Section and Director of Shandong Inspection and Quarantine Technology Center, detailed the tracking evaluation of the inspection methods of national food safety standards. Mr. Xu Shixin, Division Director of the China Institute of Veterinary Drug Control, provided the latest information on China's national standards and detection methods for veterinary drug residues. Dr. Erik Konings, former President of AOAC and Chair of ISO TC34 Working Group on Vitamins, discussed the international rules for the establishment, verification and evaluation of analytical and testing standards. Dr. Cui Shenghui, Research Follow of the National Institute of Food and Drug Control and Head of the Microbiology Methods Group of the National Food Safety Standards Review Committee, explained the up-to-date microbiological testing methods in the national food safety standards. Mr. Cao Jin, Research Follow of the National Institute of Food and Drug Control, gave details to testing standards, rapid detection, and evaluation in the concerned issue of national food safety risk monitoring. Dr. Lei Bao, Board Director of AOAC International, chaired the sub-session on alignment of China and international standards.

The Forum maintained the previous style characterized by exchanges on testing technologies and dialogues between domestic and international standards. The content-rich event encompassed nice sessions and roundtable discussions in an orderly manner. The session topics included dialogue and cooperation between AOAC/ISO/IDF standards and Chinese standards, tracking evaluation of national food safety standards, coordination of domestic and international testing standards, AOAC SPIFAN project progress, testing of formula food for special medical purposes, microbiological detection technology, and molecular detection technology.

The Forum success has further strengthened China's communication and exchange with international organizations in the field of food safety, and effectively advanced the internationalization process of China's food safety standards and providing a robust platform for the integration and alignment with international standards.