Ingredient Standards Are Vital to Supply Chain Integrity

The test methods described in a standard may require the use of well-characterized materials as reference materials, calibration standards, or system suitability standards to ensure accurate results. A reference material, for example, can be used to generate an HPLC chromatogram for comparison with a chromatogram from a test substance analyzed using the same equipment and reagents to allow identification and quantitation of analytes of interest. The use of these materials meets the requirement of ISO17025:2017 Section 7.7 on ensuring the validity of results by “use of reference materials or quality control materials.”

The Importance of Ingredient Standards

There are several reasons why the wider application of technically sound standards is critical for developing improved information systems to support transparency and traceability in the food supply.

First, as discussed above, standards ensure the use of consistent terminology at all steps in the production process, a fundamental requirement for effective communication. Second, standards ensure consistent expectations for product identity and quality for all participants in the supply chain. Third, standards provide a verifiable physical underpinning for the information contained in food-related data systems (such as a blockchain). This is extremely important because the value of a data system is limited by the quality of the information that it contains. The food industry makes and sells physical materials in the form of ingredients and foods. Electronic records are like paper records in that they can become inconsistent with the physical materials that they purport to represent. Standards that include specifications and test methods provide the tools needed to ensure accurate correspondence between records and materials.

Public standards for foods, food ingredients, and for all substances used in food production play a critical role in protecting the integrity of the food supply. Standards support commerce, help combat fraud and adulteration, and facilitate transparency and traceability. Unfortunately, many individuals and companies in the food industry are not aware of these standards or mistake information on a supplier certificate of analysis for standard information. Others use part of a standard, such as the specifications, but not the methods needed to assess adherence to the standard. Understanding where to find standards and what they contain is an important skill for mitigating business, quality, and legal risks in an increasingly interconnected and interactive world.

Dr. Gendel is the senior director for food science for the FCC, which is published by the United States Pharmacopeia. He has over 30 years of experience in food safety and policy. Reach him at [email protected].