AHPA Chief Science Officer presents at AOAC International Midyear Meeting

• By: AHPA
• On: 03/21/2024 16:36:29
• In: AHPA News

Holly E. Johnson, Ph.D., co-chairs a new working group focused on Botanical Identity

March 21, 2024



American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) Chief Science Officer Holly E. Johnson, Ph.D., recently participated in the AOAC International Midyear Meeting in Gaithersburg, MD, March 4-7, 2024. AOAC's Midyear Meeting serves as a venue for the AOAC community to come together to advance needed analytical methods through dialogue and consensus.

Dr. Johnson co-chairs a new working group focused on Botanical Identity with AHPA member Cristina Amarillas, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer, Botanicals at Eurofins Scientific. The working group, which will initially focus on creating a guidance document of best practices for development and validation of fit for purpose scientifically valid methods of evaluation for supporting identity specification for botanical materials, was formed within AOAC's Botanical Ingredients & Dietary Supplements Integrity (BIDSI) program. Other working groups within AOAC BIDSI are addressing priority analytical issues including Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids, PFAS, and Ethylene Oxide testing methods.

The AOAC BIDSI program is designed to provide raw agricultural producers, manufacturers, testing laboratories, and retail establishments with the analytical resources necessary to ensure product integrity, including reliable Certificates of Analysis (i.e., quality and accurate labeling for identity, purity, strength, and composition). During the weeklong AOAC gathering, Dr. Johnson presented at the BIDSI meeting, which also featured Constance Bahr (AOAC), James Harnly, Ph.D. (USDA), Adam Kuszak, Ph.D. (NIH ODS), Gregory Noonan, Ph.D. (FDA), Allyn Shultis (GRMA), and Darryl Sullivan (Eurofins) as speakers.
 

From left: Adam Kuszak, Ph.D. (NIH ODS), James Harnly, Ph.D. (USDA), Constance Bahr (AOAC), Holly E. Johnson, Ph.D. (AHPA), Cris Amarillas (Eurofins), Allyn Shultis (GRMA), and Darryl Sullivan (Eurofins)	From left: Constance Bahr (AOAC), Mohamed Koroma (Pharmavite), Holly E. Johnson, Ph.D. (AHPA), and Mary Kay Krogull (Eurofins)
Gregory Noonan (FDA) presenting at the AOAC BIDSI meeting

“I look forward to continued collaboration with my esteemed colleagues at AOAC as part of supporting botanical identify verification and other analytical matters impacting AHPA members and the wider herbal and dietary supplement industries," said Dr. Johnson.