AOAC International & GRMA Announce New Partnership to Advance Product Safety Goals

AOAC INTERNATIONAL and the GRMA establish a strategic partnership to help advance their shared goals around Dietary Supplements product safety standards.

ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, USA, January 24, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- AOAC INTERNATIONAL (AOAC) and the Global Retailer and Manufacturer Alliance (GRMA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in December 2021. This MOU establishes a strategic partnership to help advance their shared goals around consumer product safety standards.

AOAC is an association of government, industry, and academic leaders in analytical science. Its primary goal is to develop standards that ensure food safety and integrity. GRMA shares the same goals for advancing quality standards in health and wellness related industries. Its membership-based network consists of retailers, manufacturers, certification bodies, and trade associations.

The MOU outlines how the two organizations will work together. They plan to develop and promote quality initiatives within select health and wellness categories. Their initial focal categories include botanicals, dietary supplements, colors, and cosmetics.

“We are very excited to work with GRMA and its many global members who engage with millions of consumers around the world,” said David B. Schmidt, AOAC Executive Director. “AOAC’s standards and methods will provide a substantial foundation to ensuring these consumers receive the safest products with the components they expect.”

AOAC and GRMA’s first co-convened project is a series of thought leader discussions. Their initial session kicked off in December 2021, when organization representatives and stakeholders discussed botanical and dietary supplement product integrity. Two additional sessions are planned for early 2022 and will focus on prioritization of the opportunities and challenges identified in December that are intended to garner stakeholder support for a joint multi-year initiative.

AOAC and GRMA will also work together on task forces, committees, and working groups. These include AOAC’s new Botanical and Dietary Supplement Product Integrity Program and the GRMA’s recently launched Dietary Supplement Product Integrity Committee.

“We are excited by the opportunity to collaborate with AOAC INTERNATIONAL across a number of initiatives. They have a well-established and technical approach that provides solutions to some areas of concern for our stakeholders,” said Allyn Shultis, GRMA Executive Director. “In the initial thought leader discussion, we had near-record level participation and valued input from manufacturers, retailers, certifying bodies, and other key industry stakeholders. From that meeting, we see several ways to provide significant value to our members, the industry, and consumers. Through our shared appreciation of the consensus standard process, our next meeting will focus on prioritizing the opportunities and initiatives identified by industry stakeholders within this collaborative framework.”

Allyn Shultis
GRMA
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