Following our previous blog and webinar, “Validation of Alternative Methods for Larger Test Portion Sizes: The Bigger the Better?”, we received many questions about the concept of sampling and its impact on laboratory methods. To address these questions, we felt it important to clarify the relationship between sampling and method selection—and why this distinction is critical for our industry customers when determining fit-for-purpose methods for their products. Put simply, to effectively explain the “why,” we must first define the “what.”

To ensure proper monitoring within a food production chain, sampling and testing is performed on numerous test portions, and various food matrices and environmental surfaces. However, sampling is a stochastic process, and the uncertainty of results is increased by the non-uniformed distribution of microorganisms in a food batch. The current trend in the food industry is to develop an appropriate sample pooling strategy to improve the efficiency of large-scale pathogen screening campaigns by reducing the number of tests. In addition to the cost-effective approach, the goal, of course, is to better assess the risk of a foodborne hazard.

What a week it was at the AOAC INTERNATIONAL Annual Meeting! The annual event, held this year in Baltimore, Maryland, was jam packed with excellent technical sessions and discussions. The theme for this year was “Cultivating Leaders and Connecting Analytical Communities”. Our team from Q Laboratories included Michael Loewenstein, VP Scientific Consulting and Erin Crowley, Chief Scientific Officer.

The 2024 International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) Annual Meeting, held in the vibrant city of Long Beach, CA, was a monumental event that brought…

It is quite common to hear the terms “validation” and “verification” used interchangeably amongst those of us who work in Food Safety and, up until…