The Association of Official Analytical Collaboration (AOAC) INTERNATIONAL announced the winners of more than a dozen awards presented at their Annual Meeting.
In a recent press release (1), the Association of Official Analytical Collaboration (AOAC) INTERNATIONAL published the winners from their Annual Meeting held in August 2022 in Scottsdale, Arizona with more than 600 attendees. At this meeting, “over a dozen awards recognized scientific excellence across the spectrum of AOAC activities, including method development, expert review panels, editorial contributions to the Journal of AOAC INTERNATIONAL, and technical service,” (1). The mission of AOAC INTERNATIONAL is to “bring together government, industry, and academia to establish standard methods of analysis that ensure the safety and integrity of foods and other products that impact public health around the world,” (2).
Among the award winners was Richard van Breemen, PhD, professor at the Linus Pauling Institute and the Global Hemp Innovation Center at Oregon State University. Dr. van Breemen, along with three other members of the food safety community, received the Fellow of AOAC INTERNATIONAL Award, which recognizes the dedication of the volunteers who serve the Association (1).
Earlier this year, Dr. van Breemen published findings from his laboratory showing that specific hemp compounds demonstrated the ability to prevent the virus that causes COVID-19 from entering human cells, which he presented as a keynote address in the analytical track at Cannabis Science Conference West 2022.
Read more about Dr. van Breemen in an interview with Cannabis Science and Technology here: https://www.cannabissciencetech.com/view/cannabinoids-and-covid-19-an-interview-with-professor-richard-van-breemen-of-oregon-state-university
References
Ep 24, Part III: Data Transparency in Cannabis Testing with Yasha Kahn
December 26th 2024In the final part of this episode, Evan Friedmann and Yasha Kahn discuss the need for a national entity to centralize cannabis data collection, moving from snapshot data to continuous updates. They emphasize the importance of accurate lab data and adverse event tracking, suggesting QR codes on packaging to report issues. Yasha suggests harsher consequences for result manipulation and suggests collaboration between state departments and federal entities to support underfunded regulators. They also discuss the potential benefits of off-the-shelf testing and the importance of stability testing. Finally, Yasha shares his top three reading recommendations for the audience.
Ep 24, Part II: Data Transparency in Cannabis Testing with Yasha Kahn
December 12th 2024Evan Friedmann and Yasha Kahn, co-founder of MCR Labs, discuss the discrepancies between current regulations and data on mycotoxins and pesticides in cannabis products. They highlight the need for updated regulations based on new data, emphasizing the importance of accurate testing and labeling. They also discuss the issue of result manipulation, particularly in THC content, and the need for public health officials to address this. Yasha suggests making testing data public to enhance oversight and suggests a national entity to manage this data for better consistency and public safety.