In a push release printed this week, AOAC Global introduced it has partnered with Signature Science, LLC as the exam product company for the new AOAC Hashish/Hemp Proficiency Screening application. What can make this proficiency testing (PT) plan so distinctive is that AOAC will be the only PT supplier to provide precise cannabis flower as the matrix.
This month, the pilot round with twenty cannabis testing labs starts with hemp-only samples getting transported in early May possibly. The to start with dwell round of the PT method is scheduled for November of this yr and will present taking part labs the option of hashish flower samples or hemp samples.
The application will contain one particular sample for cannabinoid and terpene profiles, humidity and heavy metals, as well as a 2nd sample for pesticide residue screening. In accordance to the push launch, mycotoxins will be extra to the blend shortly.
The new PT plan was produced by stakeholders associated with the AOAC Hashish Analytical Science Software (CASP), like condition regulatory labs, market labs, point out and federal agencies and accreditation bodies. Shane Flynn, senior director of AOAC’s PT system, states the system is a outcome of researchers coming to them with fears about testing in the hashish house. “AOAC has a prolonged record of bringing experts with each other to address rising subjects, so when stakeholders came to AOAC with their issues and have to have for excellent proficiency testing in the hashish business, AOAC acted,” says Flynn. “Stakeholders mentioned the analytical variances in tests cannabis vs . hemp and had distinct issues all over it and questioned for a program that would deliver genuine cannabis samples in addition to hemp. This is actually a software that was designed by the stakeholders, for the stakeholders.”
AOAC says they system on introducing microbiology to the PT application, with microbial contamination tests in both equally hashish and hemp samples. They are also thinking of introducing additional matrices, like chocolate and gummies.
Signature Science is an ISO 17043 accredited proficiency examination company that also has a DEA-accredited controlled substances lab, creating them an best candidate to associate with AOAC for the PT Method. They entered into a 3-calendar year MoU with AOAC for the application. Their team designed and validated approaches used to build the samples for the PT program at their DEA-licensed lab in Austin, Texas.