C ONF ERENCE UPDATE
AOAC opens sub-Saharan Africa section in analytics milestone LM EXCL S USIV E
The meeting was attended by local and international stakeholders from industry, academia and government
Long overdue, a continental chapter of the Association of Analytical Communities (AOAC) INTERNATIONAL was launched this year in a landmark decision that will see countries throughout Sub-Saharan Africa work towards improving lab competence across the region. Formally established earlier in the year
it’s about instilling confidence in local
could already boast 290 members scarcely
and subsequently registered on the 18th May
analytical results,” said current AOAC-SSA
six months after its formation, most having
2018 in South Africa, the AOAC Sub-Saharan
president Dr Owen Fraser. “There is also a
joined thanks to word-of-mouth. “We have
Africa section (AOAC-SSA) held its inaugural
need to extend the scope of official methods
seen tremendous interest from diverse
meeting at the Farm Inn Hotel just outside
to include indigenous foods where required
people involved in government, academia
Pretoria from 5 to 7 November 2018. Driven by
and institute an impartial, independent
and private industry,” he said.
a need to improve the performance of testing
scientific advisory body in the region.”
labs in the sub-continent and introduce more
Dr Fraser highlighted that the meeting’s goal was the development of a roadmap to
uniformity in the application of standards,
Raising standards
set out goals, share learning and approach
the AOAC-SSA covers private, research,
With the tranquil surroundings of the
challenges in the testing milieu. The AOAC
academic and government laboratories in 49
Farm Inn hotel as a backdrop, delegates to
INTERNATIONAL’s executive director Mr
countries currently in Africa.
the AOAC’s inaugural meeting discussed
David Schmidt lauded the establishment
ways to improve the quality of testing in
of Sub-Saharan Africa section in his
for the monitoring and improvement of
the continent and cooperation between
address, citing it is a vital component in the
testing standards,” said Ephraim Moruke,
regional scientific organisations, among
international body’s attempts to “leverage
the AOAC-SSA’s president-elect. “We could
other topics. In his opening address,
the power of many” by establishing centres
also foster greater engagement between
Dr Fraser pointed out that the AOAC-SSA
of testing excellence throughout the
“The hope is that we can act as a forum
public and private stakeholders, which
world. He also highlighted the way AOAC
could have a very positive knock-on effect
provides an opportunity to harmonise local
for consumers.” A particular emphasis is
methods with international ones and the
placed on the development of food testing
need for the development of appropriate
standards, which could have a live-saving
tests for the burgeoning edible cannabis
effect in many parts of Africa.
industry via AOAC’s Cannabis Analytical
“For the longest time, we were receiving
Science Programme.
standards from overseas bodies, Moruke
Several speakers, including the Director
said, “and while these are useful they
General of the Standards Association of
are limited in addressing some needs in
Zimbabwe (SAZ) and President of African
the continent – indigenous foods.” Once
Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) Dr
approached, the AOAC INTERNATIONAL
Eve Gadzikwa and the National Metrology
proved open to the idea of a Sub-Saharan Africa branch. “As much as anything, w w w.lm s m a g a z i n e .c o. z a
Current AOAC-SSA president Dr Owen Fraser
Institute of SA’s (NMISA) Dr Wynand Louw, contextualised the AOAC-SSA’s role in an
LMS Issue 6 | 2018
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