Methods of Analysis and Sampling

• To elaborate analytical standards for the detection of veterinary medicinal drug residues and pesticides (insecticides, fungicides and herbicides) in milk and milk products; to carry out collaborative studies and in-house studies on existing and new methods for defining the precision of methods (r and R);
• To standardize a method or methods for the determination of aflatoxin M1 and other mycotoxins in milk and milk products and collaborative studies and in-house studies on existing and new methods for defining the precision of methods (r and R);
• To standardize methods of analysis for food additives in milk products, for determination of nitrate, nitrite, phosphorus and chloride in cheese and other dairy products, for elements with the exception of N, P, (PO4)3, polyphosphates, anions Cl and NO3 and radionuclides;
• To study the possibilities for a suitable routine determination of vitamins A and D in milk products and develop a method for the establishment of the strength of synthetic vitamin A and synthetic vitamin D standards of different manufacturers for the routine determinations;
• To describe, evaluate and standardize microbial inhibitor and preliminary confirmation tests for the detection of antimicrobials in milk and milk products and the development of detection concepts, integrated detection systems, based on the methods and residues found in the various countries;
• To collect information on the determination of elements in addition to those cited above and collecting analytical information on normal trace element content in milk and milk products as well as an observed higher level (from contamination) and related problems and strategies to avoid them in cooperation with the Standing Committees on Residues and chemical contaminants, Environment, Farm management;
• To review and discuss International Standards among the members of the Joint Committee (IDF and ISO) for the purposes of harmonization;

• To develop and standardize methods relating to the analysis of fats, fat compounds, proteins and nitrogen compounds in milk and milk products as well as methods for determination of water content, moisture content or total solids by classical physical or chemical means;
• To develop and standardize methods related to the carbohydrates in milk and milk products and to minor compounds;
• To develop a method suitable for approval as an international standard for the determination of soya protein in milk products;
• To produce a report on certain other non-milk proteins which it should be possible to determine in milk products and on which methods could be suitable;
• To review and discuss International Standards among the members of the Joint Committee (IDF and ISO) for the purposes of harmonization;

• To develop and standardize methods (International Standards, Technical Specifications / Reviewed Methods, Guidelines) relating to detection and/or enumeration of beneficial microorganisms used in dairy foods (lactic acid bacteria, probiotics, starter cultures etc.) and determination of strain identity, and identification of species;
• To review Joint ISO-IDF International Standards;
• To monitor and work with other International organizations and advise the Methods Standards Steering Group on any implications related to microbiological methods related to the committee;
• To work on any subject related to the above mentioned methods;

• To develop and standardize methods of analysis relating to (i) milk clotting activity of the milk coagulating enzymes in different preparations of milk and milk products, (ii) other enzymes used in cheese making, for example lipases, and rennet;
• To standardize methods for physical and rheological properties of dairy products; methods for characterization of dried milk in relation to heat treatment and suitability for use in specific applications, as well as distinguishing heat treated milk and dairy products including raw milk; as well as reference materials, laboratory techniques, laboratory glassware and other equipment, automated methods, sampling and interpretation of analytical results;
• To monitor and work with other international organizations and advise the Methods Standards Steering Group on any implications related to methods of analysis relating to processing aids, indicators and physical properties of milk and milk products;

• To develop standardized methods (International Standards, Technical Specifications/Reviewed Methods, Guidelines) for the detection and/or enumeration of foodborne pathogenic microorganisms including their toxins, marker-organisms and food spoilage microorganisms as well as supporting methods like statistics, proficiency testing, quality control of culture media etc.;
• To develop, when possible, dairy orientated methods in harmonization with ISO/TC 34/SC 9 "Microbiology of food" to integrate the dairy requirements into the horizontal methods to be published by the ISO committee (harmonized approach). If, for any reason, harmonization is not possible or the method is so specific for milk and milk products, the project will be developed to become a vertical joint IDF/ISO/TC 34/SC 5 standard applicable for milk and/or milk products only;
• To support on all levels of the specific requirements for the examination of milk and milk products during the development or revision of horizontal methods;
• To review the Joint ISO-IDF International Standards but also those of ISO/TC 34/SC 9;
• To monitor and work with other International organizations, including the ISO TC 34/SC9 and advise the Methods Standards Steering Group on any implications related to microbiological methods related to the committee;

• To develop standards for the statistical evaluation of analytical methods be they physical, chemical or microbiological; these standards cover the organization of interlaboratory studies and the statistical evaluation of the results obtained from these studies;
• To sample and prepare samples of milk and milk products in international standards with the aim of achieving a representative and homogenous sample for analysis and to assure that real life samples are treated in such a way that critical differences based on validation data of standard methods can be applied for the estimation of the uncertainty of results of such samples;
• To provide regularly updated information on reference materials;
• To develop practical and clear guidelines for proficiency testing and similar quality assurance measures for laboratories;
• To monitor and work with other International organizations and advise ISO of any implications related to quality assurance, statistics and sampling;

On-going project: IDF/ICAR Project Group on Reference System for Somatic Cell Counting
Global markets with expanding streams of exported/imported goods involve a focused attention on equivalence of analytical results. Indeed, analytical results play a major role in free and fair trade. Apparently, independent local calibration cannot always fulfil the rising demands for worldwide equivalence of analytical results. It occurs that worldwide equivalence of analytical results cannot be safeguarded by “solely” producing standardized analytical methods.
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