NIST is seeking participants for their interlaboratory proficiency test for kelp that is being led by the National Institute for Standards and Technology, with funding from World Wildlife Fund. Farmed sugar kelp is the focus for this upcoming round of NIST’s bi-annual QAP exercise, which was recently announced. All primary chemical labs associated with the research and business community are eligible to participate. We are hoping to maximize laboratory participation.
The goal of this exercise is to advance the global seaweed farming industry by addressing barriers faced at all stages of production. The need for certified reference materials and methodologies to characterize seaweed composition is widely recognized by researchers and commercial entities. It is first necessary to shed light on the discrepancies across the industry in compositional analysis and narrow down the methodologies that need improved standardization. Interlaboratory comparison (e.g., quality assurance) exercises constitute an appropriate way to gain this understanding and we feel this is an important first step in the process.
Analytes important to the seaweed industry to be tested as part of this exercise are:
- Proximates, Fiber, and Starch: Ash, protein, carbohydrates, fat (crude fat and fatty acids), calories, solids, dietary fiber, starch
- Nutritional and Toxic Elements: Ca, Cr, I, K, Mg, Na, S, Se, tAs/iAs, Cd, Pb, Hg, Cu, Zn
- Water- and Fat-Soluble Vitamins: Vitamin B3, Vitamin K1
- Total Phenolic Content: Gallic acid, gallic acid equivalents
- Contaminants: PFAS
Following the proficiency test, all participating labs will be encouraged to join a workshop in late 2022 to discuss the results, honing in together on the analytes and methodologies that need further attention for standardization.
Please see this official invitation with further details, a list of the kelp analytes to be tested, and instructions on registering to participate. The registration deadline is March 4th. Kelp samples will then be shipped to your lab in late March, arriving in powder form. Note that participants will be required to pay for the cost of sample shipment (more details in official invite). Let us know if your lab intends to participate or if you have further questions about this industry-wide, global exercise.
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