International Standards Collaborations (ISO)

Global trade is complex and international standards are crucial for import and export businesses. AOCS works with many organizations to contribute over a hundred years of experience of classifying fats, oils, and other related materials.

AOCS administers the US position at ISO through US TAGs to the following technical and sub committees:

    AOCS provides the Secretariat for TC 34/SC 16.

    Standards Harmonization Activities

    AOCS is an active participant in several harmonization activities including;

    The Inter-Agency Meeting (IAM)

    The aim of the Inter-Agency Meeting (IAM) is to promote co-operation between international organizations (INGOs and IGOs) working on methods of analysis and sampling and the associated quality assurance measures, and to support the needs of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The Commisssion is an inter-governmental organization that considers and sets standards for food products in international trade. Standards may address compositional, additive or contaminant issues. In addition, the Commission elaborates methods of analysis and sampling to "enforce" such standards. The IAM provides a unique opportunity for those organizations working in the food analysis sector to discuss common problems and the opportunities to harmonize approaches for the ultimate benefit of the users of the products of organizations working in the area of analytical methods.

    • Develops and/or recommends common rules for the validation of methods of analysis and sampling and associated quality assurance measures.
    • Assists the Codex Alimentarius Commission in its need for methods of analysis and sampling and associated quality assurance measures
    • Promotes coordination between the organizations concerned
    • Addresses problems which require international collaboration 
    • Promotes uniformity of terminology relative to its field of activity