Leading analytical experts exchange perspectives on the latest technical and technological findings within the dairy sector.

This week saw the close of 2019 IDF/ISO Analytical week, an important event in the calendar for those working the field of dairy products analysis. The event welcomed more than 130 delegates from 22 countries, as well as representatives of other standards development organizations such as AOAC International, ICAR and USP. Meetings this week have led to significant progress on wide range of topics, including eight new or revised IDF/ISO standards to be published in next 12 months, such as an international standard for the determination of sugars in dairy products. Another example is harmonization of the validation process for the rapid detection of antibiotics in fresh milk. Experts are also preparing a Q&A document that will assist end users in dairies and milk collection centres to ensure milk quality and safety. New topics for future standards development have also been identified, such as the enumeration of Clostridia, which is a contaminant affecting quality of ripened hard and semi-hard cheeses; and the rapid determination of fat in dairy products by nuclear magnetic resonance technology.

Steve Holroyd, Chair of the IDF Methods Standards Steering Group: “With more than 25 IDF/ISO Action Teams and six Standing Committees meeting over the course of four days, Analytical Week provides an excellent opportunity for networking with international scientific peers and instrument companies, and for progressing the development of IDF/ ISO international standards and guidance.” Why are these meetings important? Standardized methods of analysis are essential and facilitate the production and trade of safe and high-quality dairy products. They provide a basis for mutual understanding and are used to assess compliance to national or international regulations and are widely applied for routine examination and control purposes.

They convey the same language, understanding and measurements to allow for comparable results, as results of voluntary cooperation among the stakeholders of the dairy chain: industry, authorities, researchers, manufacturers. IDF’s involvement in this meeting represents our continued commitment to establishing standards for food safety, quality and composition of milk and dairy products that are essential in building mutual understanding and trust in the international dairy sector and in facilitating trade.

“IDF is committed to continually improving the regulatory environment for the dairy sector, and to proactively engaging with key international organisations and influencers such as ISO, identifying knowledge gaps, prioritising proposing solutions and seeking consensus.” Aurélie Dubois-Lozier, Science and Standards Programme Manager.

Next year’s IDF/ISO Analytical Week will be held in Beijing, China, 6-9 April 2020