ISO Focus

The Magazine of the International Organization for Standardization

Volume 1, No. 8, September 2004, ISSN 1729-8709

Food
and
beverage

The flavour
of Nestlé
Efficacy in dental
practice

ISO Focus is published 11 times
a year (single issue : July-August).
It is available in English.
Annual subscription 158 Swiss Francs
Individual copies 16 Swiss Francs
Contents
1 Comment Prof. Andras Salgó, Chair ISO/TC 34, Food
products – The fruit of cooperation : better, safer food
2 World Scene
Highlights of events from around the world
3 ISO Scene
Highlights of news and developments from ISO members
4 Guest View
Dr. Werner Bauer, Executive Vice President, Technical,
Production, Environment, Research and Development, Nestlé
7 Main Focus

Publisher
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(International Organization for
Standardization)
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Editor : Giles Allen
Assistant Editor : Elizabeth
Gasiorowski-Denis
Artwork : Pascal Krieger and Food and beverage
Pierre Granier • Ensuring integrity of the food supply chain
ISO Update : Dominique Chevaux
• Tracking food paths
Subscription enquiries : Sonia Rosas
ISO Central Secretariat • Detection of genetically modified organisms and derived foods
• Microbiological analysis of foods and animal feeding stuffs
Telephone + 41 22 749 03 36
Fax + 41 22 749 09 47 • Cooperation works: uniting strengths for better standards
E-mail sales@iso.org • Steamed or boiled ? Promoting the production and trade of rice
• Tracking fruit and vegetable products’ quality and safety
© ISO, 2004. All rights reserved.
• Fresh, dry and dried fruits and vegetables
The contents of ISO Focus are copyright
and may not, whether in whole or in • Fats and oils for healthy living
part, be reproduced, stored in a retrieval • Comparing coffees
system or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic, mechanical,
• Brewing the best tea standards
photocopying or otherwise, without
written permission of the Editor.
34 Developments and Initiatives
• Standards of practice in dentistry
ISSN 1729-8709 • A world of applications for gas calibration
Printed in Switzerland
Cover photo : PRISMA-Dia Agentur.
39 New this month
Oil on canvas by Erik Slutsky, 2000 41 Coming up
ISO Focus September 2004
Comment
The fruit of cooperation :
better, safer food
I
n recent years, multiple alimentary
problems concerning human health
(mad cow disease, Salmonella
poisoning), the threat of starvation in
certain areas, the worries connected
with “ junk food ” and obesity, and the
moral challenges involved in Geneti-
cally Modified Organisms, have con-
tributed to bringing the issue of food
safety into the limelight.
ISO/TC 34, Food products,
with its 13 subcommittees, has been
working towards the goal of improv-
ing food quality and safety for several
decades, and its portfolio of standards,
adopted by many industries world-
wide, has proved most useful in set-
ting test methods, defining product
specifications and providing the tech-
nical standards to ensure that food
products conform to acceptable levels
for human and animal health. Further-
more, in addition to the interest gen-
erated in the new horizontal standard
now under development, ISO 22000,
Food safety management systems, the
work of the committee is expanding
to tackle issues such traceability and
detecting the use of GMOs.
In today’s global market,
to obtain optimal efficiency, it has
become imperative to work not in
isolation but in cooperation with the
international agencies involved in this
area. There is nothing new in this :
ISO has had a long and harmonious
relationship with Codex Alimentarius,
a joint Food Standards Programme of
the FAO (UN Food and Agriculture
Organization) and WHO, aimed at
protecting the health of consumers,
ensuring fair trade practices in the food
trade, and promoting coordination of
all food standards work undertaken by
international governmental and non-
governmental organizations.
Codex Alimentarius Commis- 2004, ISO was invited to address the
sion is an intergovernmental body delegates and give an overview of ISO/
comprised of members that have the TC 34 work, of ISO’s activities and
power to regulate the implementation functions, including conformity assess-
of food standards and guides in their ment, that were of direct relevance to
country. ISO, as a producer of volun- Codex members, and to look at where
tary International Standards, does not there could be synergies between the
have such regulatory powers. However work of the two organizations. The
questions afterwards suggested that
To obtain optimal this exchange had been a most fruitful
and useful exercise, and laid the ground
efficiency, it has become for yet deeper cooperation.
imperative to work
not in isolation but in We are at present examining in
detail areas of cooperation that could
cooperation with the be submitted to the Codex Alimentar-
international agencies ius Commission to enhance the mutual
involved coordination of work and elimination
of any duplication of efforts.
in the framework of good regulatory
practice, as promoted at international We are convinced that to
and regional levels, International Stand- reduce the number of food-borne
ards and Guides are often considered illnesses and to avoid food scares,
most useful by regulators as effective Codex Alimentarius and ISO need to
and efficient tools to achieve important cooperate yet more closely in support
regulatory mandates, manage risk and of each other’s work.
address market failure. Using Interna-
tional Standards may help a regulator to
achieve aims in public health and safety
at less cost to manufacturers, consumers
and the taxpayer. Using International
Standards also assists countries to meet
their WTO, TBT and SPS Agreement
obligations.
It had became clear that it
would be useful to reinforce not only
the harmonization of work between
ISO and Codex Alimentarius and to
deepen the collaboration but, more
specifically, to inform Codex Alimen-
tarius members about ISO activities Prof. András Salgó
and to spread the word of what ISO
Chair ISO/TC 34, Food products
had done, was doing and was planning
to do in the food product area.
Thus it was particularly appre-
ciated that, at the recent Codex Ali-
mentarius meeting in Geneva in June
ISO Focus September 2004 1
World Scene
WSIS agrees on roadmap
to Tunis Summit
Some 425 representatives from
government, international
organizations, members of civil
society and the private sector
attended the first preparatory
meeting of the World Summit
on Information Society (WSIS)
in Hammamet, Tunisia, to
discuss the roadmap for the
Summit’s second phase in
Tunis.
The focus of the preparatory
process to the Tunis phase will
be two-pronged : 1) provide
solutions on how to implement
and follow up the Geneva deci-
sions (Declaration of Princi-
ples and Plan of Action) by
stakeholders at national,
regional and international
levels with particular attention
to challenges facing the least
developed countries, and
2) complete the unfinished
business in Geneva on Internet
Governance and Financing.
The role of International
Standards in contributing to
the development of a global
Information Society was
acknowledged at the first phase
of the World Summit on the
Information Society held in
Geneva, Switzerland, in
December 2003.
The second phase of the
Summit, which takes place in
Tunis, Tunisia, from 16 to 18
November 2005, will measure
progress to the ambitious goals
set in Geneva. Hard work now
lies ahead before the meeting
to show that development of
the Information Society is on
the right path.
For more information:
www.itu.int/wsis/
2 ISO Focus September 2004
WTO examines
conformity assessment
The World Trade Organization’s
Technical Barriers to Trade
(WTO TBT) Committee held a
special meeting on conformity
assessment on June 29, in
Geneva, Switzerland.
The meeting, which was
intended to give Members an
opportunity to have a more
focused discussion on issues of
conformity assessment, high-
lighting supplier’s declaration
of conformity (SDoC), accredi-
tation and various other aspects
concerning Members’ approach
to conformity assessment.
ISO attended the meeting and,
in the course of the discussions,
highlighted the relevance of the
CASCO “ toolbox ” for conform-
ity assessment practices and rec-
ognition as well as the useful-
ness of ISO/IEC 17011:2004,
Conformity assessment – Gener-
al requirements for accreditation
bodies accrediting conformity
assessment bodies, and ISO/IEC
FDIS 17050, Conformity assess-
ment – Supplier’s declaration of
conformity – Part 1: General
requirements and Part 2: Sup-
porting documentation.
The WTO TBT Committee, at
the end of the Third Triennial
Review in November 2003,
agreed on a work programme
on conformity assessment. As
part of this work programme,
the Committee will organize in
the future two workshops; the
first on SDoC and the second
on different approaches to con-
formity assessment. ISO has
been asked to attend the events
and give presentations on
achievements and current devel-
opments in ISO on these issues.
For more information:
www.wto.org
Focus on Russia’s oil and
gas sector
Some 100 experts from the oil
and gas industry gathered in
Moscow, Russia to discuss
standardization and certification
for the sector in Russia and the
Commonwealth of Independent
States.
International Association of
Oil and Gas Producers (OGP)
Standards Committee Chair,
Alf Reidar Johansen, and Tech-
nical Manager Don Smith
spoke on the theme of “ Mov-
ing towards global standards
for the oil and gas industry ”
and encouraged the sector to
make use of the new set of
International Standards that is
emerging from ISO and IEC
(International Electrotechnical
Commission).
According to Messrs. Johansen
and Smith, the OGP supports
the development and use of
ISO and IEC standards, which
should be promoted and used
without modification, wherev-
er possible. International
Standards developed by ISO
and IEC reduce the need for
company specifications and
national regulations and facili-
tate trade across national bor-
ders, while achieving higher
levels of safety through better
design.
OGP encompasses most of the
world’s leading publicly-trad-
ed, private and state-owned oil
and gas companies, associa-
tions and major upstream serv-
ice companies. The ISO/OGP
collaboration serves to help
identify the standardization
needs of the oil and gas indus-
try and to help ISO gauge cur-
rent and future market sector
trends and conditions.
For more information:
www.ogp.org.uk
Global Compact Summit
fights corruption
More than 400 corporate execu-
tives, government officials and
civil society leaders assembled
at the UN headquarters on 24
June 2004 to take stock of the
Global Compact and chart its
future course.
Introduced by
the Secretary-
General Kofi
Annan in 1999
as an interna-
tional initiative
to advance
responsible
corporate citi-
zenship, and
launched operationally the fol-
lowing year, the Global Com-
pact challenges world business
leaders to “ embrace and enact ”
the benefits of global economic
development through voluntary
corporate policies and
actions. Currently, the Compact
includes nearly 1 500 firms in
some 70 countries.
The one-day Summit saw a
range of specific pledges being
made, including defending
human rights in conflict zones,
ensuring decent working condi-
tions and implementing
“ no-bribe ” policies. Secretary-
General Kofi Annan, who
chaired the meeting, announced
the adoption of a tenth Global
Compact principle “ against
corruption in all its forms.”
Twenty major investment
companies endorsed a Global
Compact report and initiative on
“ connecting financial markets ”
to environmental, social and
governance criteria, and agreed
on steps to bring other actors in
the financial world into agree-
ment on how these factors
would become standard compo-
nents in the analysis of corporate
performance and investment
decision-making. The UN Glo-
bal Compact was an important
contributor to the ISO Strategic
Advisory Group on Social
Responsibility (SR) and to ISO’s
international conference on the
subject held in June 2004.
For more information:
www.globalcompact.org
ISO Scene
ISO’s high-level advisory
group on security invites
stakeholder input
ISO’s high-level advisory group
on security held its first meet-
ing on 1 and 2 June 2004 in
New York, USA, when it
reviewed a draft inventory of
relevant ISO activities and
established a framework for
classifying existing standards
and ongoing work.
The group agreed to conduct a
stakeholder outreach pro-
gramme to invite suggestions
for additional standards that
may be needed, as well as to
carry out in-depth studies in the
areas of the built environment,
mass transportation, the oil and
gas industry, and freight con-
tainers. Concerned ISO com-
mittees are being solicited over
the next few months to assist
with the classification of their
standards and current projects.
The group is expected to submit
its final report in time for ISO’s
Technical Management Board
(TMB) meeting in February 2005.
Seminar in Iran on
conformity assessment
and product certification
Alan Bryden with Dr. Jahangiri, Iranian Minister of Industries and Mines
(centre) and Dr. Ali A. Tofigh, ISIRI President and Deputy Minister of
Industries and Mines (far right).
Some 650 participants from
various sectors of industry
attended a recently concluded
seminar on “ Conformity
Assessment and Product Certi-
fication ” held in May 2004 in
Tehran, Iran.
ISO Secretary-General Alan
Bryden made a speech on the
theme of “ Certification and
Conformity Assessment in the
Global Econo-
my ”, and high-
lighted the growing use of ISO
standards by public authorities
to express requirements related
to the assessment of compli-
ance of products and equip-
ment to regulations. He under-
lined the relevance of the
CASCO “ toolbox ”, particular-
ly its role in helping to ensure
that conformity is assessed
with methods and competence
which may be appraised and
accepted internationally.
The seminar was organized by
the Institute of Standards and
Industrial Research of Iran
(ISIRI) and Iranian Society for
Quality (ISQ).
Mr. Bryden also held meetings
with Dr. Jahangiri, Iran’s Min-
ister of Industries and Mines
and Dr. Tofigh, Deputy Minis-
ter of Industries and Mines and
President of ISIRI. He encour-
aged the public authorities and
all other economic actors to
increase their participation in
international standardization
which supported of their coun-
try’s economic competitiveness
and social development.
ISO Secretary-General
meets with President
of Ukraine
ISO Secretary-General Alan
Bryden visited Ukraine from 14
to 16 June and had a series of
meetings and presentations to
Public Authorities and stake-
holders. He addressed an Inter-
national Conference on “Provi-
sion of competitiveness of
President of Ukraine Leonid
Kuchna (2nd from right) and other
Ukrainian officials met with ISO
Secretary-General Alan Bryden.
Ukrainian products on the way
to the WTO and the EU ”.
He met the President of Ukraine,
Leonid Kuchma, and addressed
the strategic importance of Inter-
national Standards as a tool for
accelerating Ukraine’s social
and economic development.
President Kuchma highlighted
the steady development of the
Ukrainian economy as a result
of the economic reforms, which
have been implemented in the
country recently, and stressed
the importance of enhancing
Ukraine’s cooperation with ISO
that could contribute to expand-
ing international trade and trans-
ferring advanced technologies
and good management practices.
Alan Bryden also met Nicolai
Azarov, Vice Prime Minister of
Ukraine, and Borys Paton, Presi-
dent of the National Academy of
Sciences of Ukraine.
Mr. Bryden also held meetings
with Leonid Shkolnyk, Head of
DSSU (State Committee of
Ukraine on Technical Regulation
and Consumer Policy), ISO
member for the country.
ISO President
underlines diversity
of ISO standards
ISO President Oliver Smoot
underlined the scope and
breadth of ISO’s standards on
the occasion of visits to ISO
members in Turkey, Costa Rica
and Mexico.
He highlighted ISO’s broad
portfolio of standards for prod-
ucts, services, materials, proc-
esses, information technology,
conformity assessment, quality
and the environment. ISO’s
work is increasing in scope to
address new service sectors –
including financial services –
security, food safety and quality,
intelligent transport systems,
new technologies and good
management practice to consti-
tute a complete offering in sup-
port of sustainable development.
Regarding plans to help devel-
oping countries, the ISO Presi-
dent said that ISO was carrying
out specific actions and formu-
lating further plans for assisting
developing countries to increase
awareness of International
Standards and conformity
assessment systems and to
develop their standardization
capacity, including by increased
use of information and commu-
nication technologies.
Quality management for
the automotive industry
Director-General of INORPI Saloua
Ghedamsi (far right) with INORPI’s
Training Officer Ben Farhart (far
left) and seminar instructors
Frédéric Paris and Raji Zouari.
The benefits of implementing a
quality management system in
the automotive sector was the
subject of a seminar organized
by the ISO Programme for
Development and Training in
Tunis, Tunisia on 28-29 June
2004.
Some 30 quality practitioners
representing Tunisian suppliers
of automotive components to the
major car manufacturers in
Europe, USA and Japan attend-
ed the two-day seminar on
ISO/TS 16949:2002, which
specifies quality system require-
ments for suppliers in this sector.
The seminar was designed to
train quality practitioners on the
implementation of ISO/TS
16949:2002 which defines the
quality management system
requirements for the design and
development, production and,
when relevant, installation and
service of automotive-related
products.
The seminar was hosted by
INORPI, Institut national de la
normalisation et de la propriété
industrielle, ISO member for
Tunisia.
For more information contact :
Virginia Gomez at
gomez@iso.org
ISO Focus September 2004 3
Guest View
Werner Bauer
D
r. Werner Bauer is Executive
Vice President, Technical,
Production, Environment,
Research and Development at Nestlé.
After completing his education in
Chemical Engineering with a PhD
from the University of Erlangen-
Nürnberg, Mr. Werner Bauer began his
career as a Professor at the Universi-
ties of Hamburg and Munich. Between
1986 and 1990 he was Head of the
Frauenhofer-Institute for Food
Technology. His interest in nutrition
led him to accept the position of Head
of the Nestlé Research Centre in 1990,
a position he held for 7 years. Mr.
Bauer was then promoted to Head of
Research and Development at Nestlé
Headquarters in Vevey. He moved to
take over Technical Management of
Nestlé South Africa and subsequently
the management of Nestlé Southern
and Eastern region. Since May 1, 2002
he has been in charge of Corporate
Technical, Production, Environment
and R&D. In this position and
amongst his other responsibilities, he
oversees the numerous factories and
product development centres of the
Nestlé Group.
ISO Focus : As today’s largest food
and beverage company in the world,
Nestlé produces a wide range of
products from meals to chocolate,
and from mineral water to coffee.
How does Nestlé manage to maintain
a worldwide consumer base when
traditions and tastes vary from one
country to the next? What is the key
ingredient to its success?
Werner Bauer : There is no single
ingredient to our success but many!
The key is certainly our conviction
that there is no such thing as a global
consumer, but that consumers every-
where make their decisions in a given
4 ISO Focus September 2004
Photo : A. Diglas
“ There is not one
Nescafé but 200
and this explains why
very many consumers
perceive Nestlé as
a trusted local supplier
of high quality food
and beverage products.”
cultural and ethnic context, which
a global marketer has to understand
and respect. Nestlé was founded by
a German (Henri Nestlé) in Switzer-
land, a small country, and expanding
meant going abroad. This could only
be done by relying on the experience
and knowledge of local staff and by
adapting the products to local tastes,
traditions and ways of doing business.
This is why there is not one Nescafé
but 200 and this explains why very
many consumers perceive Nestlé as a
trusted local supplier of high quality
food and beverage products. Maintain-
ing that trust also means listening to
consumers : today we have some 80
consumer services worldwide, deal-
ing with about 7 million spontaneous
contacts per year. We encourage our
consumers to comment, criticize and
suggest and we make it easy for them
by providing them with an address, a
telephone number or a Web site on
each of our products.
ISO Focus : A number of Nestlé
employees provide expert advice to
the work of ISO technical commit-
tees. How important is it for Nestlé
to contribute to the development of
International Standards ?
Werner Bauer : International Stan-
dards are important for a good and
efficient business environment. When
applied to entire fields of activity, they
contribute very effectively to enhance
fair competition and – in many cases
– to raise the overall level of qual-
ity. On the other hand, such Interna-
tional Standards, if developed only
by people outside the industry, might
either impose too many restrictions
on the company’s ability to develop
and expand and could, in some cases,
impose excessive costs. We therefore
believe that by providing expert advice
to ISO technical committees and par-
ticipating in the establishment of rules,
the major companies, knowing best the
prevailing conditions in their industry,
render an important service both to ISO
and to themselves.
ISO Focus : To what extent does
Nestlé use an environmental manage-
ment system based on ISO 14001 ?
How do you think acting sustainably
positively affects the bottom line of
companies ?
Werner Bauer : Nestlé, having actively
contributed to the establishment of ISO
14001, has been one of the first compa-
nies to implement a Group-wide envi-
ronmental management system, based
on the principles of ISO 14001, even
before its official publication. Today,
all our factories worldwide use the
 tally responsible company. This is and
undoubtedly will be an asset for our
company, our brands, our staff and
our customers.

ISO Focus : ISO is currently in the

process of developing a Food safety
management systems standard (ISO
22000) for all organizations, which
produce, manufacture, handle or sup-
ply food. What benefit do you see here
in terms of safety, communication and
trade?
Werner Bauer : We believe that ISO
22000 could contribute to reducing
the number of individual, non-offi-
cial food safety standards currently
appearing on the market. Their variety
and ever-increasing number is creating
complexity and confusion in the food
chain, thus raising costs without bring-
ing consistent reliability.
Certificates delivered on the basis
of an internationally agreed stan-
dard would improve the relation-
Photo : A. Diglas

ship between suppliers and customers

throughout the food chain. Customers
could concentrate their efforts on their
The Nestlé Research Center near Lausanne, specific requirements which may not
“ Nestlé Environmental Management Switzerland, provides the basic knowledge in be covered by the standard, and sup-
System ” (internally known as NEMS) food science which is applied in the whole pliers would have better harmonized
to improve constantly on their environ- Nestlé Group. The Nestlé plant science unit in
Tours, France, studies plant species such as
requirements to follow, which should
mental performance. External bodies limit and rationalize the number and
coffee, cocoa and chicory.
have certified some 30 of our sites
worldwide according to ISO 14001,
but we also verify compliance with our
NEMS through internal procedures. As
all have been able to see the effect on
our eco efficiency, this system has been
embraced by employees at all levels.
But we have gone further and have
invested significantly – way over
what is legally required – into envi-
ronmental technologies. We are fully
aware that such investments increase
our costs compared to our compet-
itors and we know that we might,
therefore, lose some market share in
Photo : Nesstlé Research Center

the short term, especially in devel-

oping countries. But Nestlé, a com-
pany almost 140 years old, has nev-
er been too keen on short term views
and we are convinced that in the long
run, our policy will enhance our rep-
utation as a socially and environmen-
ISO Focus September 2004 5
Guest View
scope of the assessments requested by
their customers.
If ISO 22000 fulfils our expectations,
Nestlé would integrate such a standard
in its Supplier Management System.
As part of our supplier and co-manu-
facturer requirements, it should sim-
plify our relationship with them and
it should allow us to reallocate some
of the assessment and monitoring
resources from the scope covered by
ISO 22000 to more Nestlé-specific
expectations.
All partners in the food chain could
derive benefit from the implementa-
tion of ISO 22000, no matter the size
or activity of the certified operation or
which kind of product is considered.
Therefore, we are actively collaborat-
ing with our partners to ensure that
this standard is reliable and takes
into account all common food safety
requirements.
We are especially keen to obtain an
action-oriented tool without useless
administrative or paperwork require-
ments. Moreover, it will be essential
6 ISO Focus July-August 2004
Photo : A. Diglas
to prevent misleading communication
about the certificates ; it is the food
safety management system that will be
certified by a third party and not the
safety of the product.
“ Nestlé, a company
almost 140 years old,
has never been too keen
on short term views…”
ISO Focus : At a recently concluded
ISO conference on social responsibil-
ity, Mr. Khaled Abu Osbeh, represen-
tative of the United Nations Global
Compact, said that ISO can be a key
force in helping to realize the Global
Compact Office’s hope that CSR ini-
tiatives will ultimately converge. What
are your thoughts on the issue?
Werner Bauer : A clearer defini-
tion of some of the terms used in the
Global Compact might well benefit
the application of these principles and
secure a broader following. But one
should keep in mind that the Global
Compact covers a very broad range of
situations and that its practical applica-
tion needs to take into account diverse
starting points as well as social and
economic differences and priorities.
It is therefore vital to avoid simply
designing rigid checklists that might
well be irrelevant to some industries
or regions, but that would allow
self-appointed critics of corporations
to launch their campaigns based on
their own interpretation of some spe-
cific point. The Global Compact is a
means for corporations to freely and
publicly express their commitment to
social responsibility. Turning it into
an enforceable body of law, over and
beyond national legislation and inter-
national conventions, raises entirely
different issues.
Nestlé International Headquarters in Vevey,
Switzerland.
Photo : Nestlé
 Photo : ISO

F
ailures in food supply can be
Ensuring integrity dangerous and cost plenty.
such as ISO 9001:2000, with or with-
out independent (third party) certifi-
of the food supply ISO 22000 for food safety
management systems is intended to
cation of conformity.

chain provide security by ensuring that

by Jacob Færgemand, convenor
and project leader of ISO/TC 34,
Food products, WG 8, Food
safety management systems, and
Dorte Jespersen, secretary of the
WG, Danish Standards
Association (DS)
there are no weak links in the food
supply chain.
ISO/22000, Food safety man-
agement systems – Requirements
throughout the food chain, is current-
ly at the stage of Draft International
Standard (DIS). It is expected to be
available as an International Standard
in 2005. The standard can be applied
on its own, or in combination with
other management system standards
What is the standard
about ?
ISO 22000 specifies require-
ments for a food safety management
system in the food chain where an
organization
• needs to demonstrate its ability
to control food safety hazards in
order to consistently provide safe
end products that meet both the
ISO Focus September 2004 7
 Photos : ISO
Main Focus
requirements agreed with the cus-
tomer and those of applicable food
safety regulations, and
• aims to enhance customer satisfac-
tion through the effective control
of food safety hazards, including
processes for updating the system.

Who are the intended

users?
ISO 22000 may apply to all “ ISO 22000 specifies What does it cover ?
types of organizations within the requirements for a food The standard will combine
food chain ranging from feed produc-
ers, primary producers through food
safety management generally recognized key elements
to ensure food safety along the food
manufacturers, transport and storage system.” chain, as follows :
operators and subcontractors to retail
and food service outlets – together The number of national stand- • Interactive communication
with inter-related organizations such ards has led to confusion. Conse-
Communication along the food
as producers of equipment, packaging quently, there is a need to harmonize
chain (see Figure 1) is essential to
material, cleaning agents, additives the national standards on an interna-
ensure that all relevant food safety
and ingredients. tional level. This was the reason why
hazards are identified and adequately
Food safety is related to the the Danish Standards Association
controlled at each step within the food
presence of and levels of food-borne (DS – www.ds.dk) submitted a new
chain. This implies communication of
hazards in food at the point of con- work item proposal for a food safety
the needs of the organization to both
sumption (intake by the consumer). management systems standard to the
organizations upstream in the food
As food safety hazards may be intro- secretariat of ISO/TC 34, Food prod-
chain and organizations downstream
duced at any stage of the food chain, ucts, in 2001.
in the food chain.
adequate control throughout the food
chain is essential. Thus, food safety is Figure 1 :
a joint responsibility that is principally Example for Producers of pesticides,
assured through the combined efforts communication fertilizers, and veterinary
Crop producers drugs
of all the parties participating in the along the
food chain.
food chain.
Food chain for the
Feed producers production of ingredients
and additives
Why is it important now ?
Transport and storage
Organizations that produce, Primary food producers
operators
manufacture, handle or supply food
Regulatory authorities

recognize the increasing requirement

of customers for them to demonstrate Producers of equipment
Food processors
and provide adequate evidence of
their ability to identify and control Producers of cleaning
food safety hazards and the many agents
2 nd food processors
conditions impacting food safety.
ISO 9001:2000 on quality Producers of packaging
materials
management does not deal specifical-
ly with food safety. As a result, many Wholesalers
countries, such as Denmark, the Service providers
Netherlands, Ireland and Australia,
amongst others, developed voluntary Retailers
Other supplying food
national standards and other docu- chains
ments specifying auditable require- Arrows indicate
Consumer
ments for food safety management interactive
systems. communication.

8 ISO Focus September 2004


Communication with custom-
ers and suppliers, based on the infor-
mation generated through system-
atic hazard analysis, will also assist in
substantiating customer and supplier
requirements with regard to their fea-
sibility, need, and impact on the end
product. The standard will require that
such communication is planned and
maintained.
• System management
The most effective food safety
systems are designed, operated and
updated within the framework of a
structured management system and
incorporated into the overall manage-
ment activities of the organization.
This provides maximum benefit for
the organization and interested par-
ties. ISO 22000 will take due con-
sideration of the requirements of
ISO 9001:2000 in order to enhance
compatibility of the two standards
and to allow their joint or integrated
implementation.
• Hazard control
Effective systems that are capa-
ble of controlling food safety hazards
to acceptable levels in end products
that are delivered to the next link in the
food chain require the balanced inte-
gration of prerequisite programmes 1)
and a detailed HACCP (Hazard Analy-
sis and Critical Control Point) plan.
ISO 22000 will dynamically
combine the HACCP principles and
application steps with prerequisite
programmes, using the hazard analysis
to determine the strategy to be used to
ensure hazard control by combining
the prerequisite programmes and the
HACCP plan.
“ ISO 22000 may apply to
all types of organizations
within the food chain.”
The standard will further
clarify the concept of prerequisite
programmes. These are divided into
two subcategories: infrastructure and
maintenance programmes and opera-
tional prerequisite programmes.
Infrastructure and maintenance
programmes are used to address basic
requirements of food hygiene and
accepted good practice of a more
permanent nature, whereas operational
prerequisite programmes are used to
1) A prerequiste programme is a specified procedure(s) or instruction(s), specific to the nature and size of
the operation, that enhances and/or maintains operational conditions to enable more effective control of food
safety hazards and/or that controls the likelihood of introducing food safety hazards and their contamination
of or proliferation in the product(s) and product processing environment.
About the authors
Jacob
Færgemand,
an food engineer, gradu-
ated from Aalborg Techni-
cal University, Denmark.
Since 1994, he has
worked with Bureau
Veritas BVQI Denmark as lead auditor ISO
9000 and HACCP (DS 3027) and hygiene
inspector on BRC. In 1996, he became Food
sector manager, and in 2002 sales director
BVQI Denmark. He is responsible for
Bureau Veritas BVQi activities worldwide
on BRC inspection and HACCP certification
on DS 3027. He chairs the Danish food
safety standardization group and, in 2001,
initiated the launch of ISO/TC 34, Working
Group 8, Food safety management systems
to develop ISO 22000, the working group he
chairs.
control or reduce the impact of identi-
fied food safety hazards in the product
or the processing environment.
The HACCP plan is used to
manage the critical control points
determined to eliminate, prevent or
reduce specified food safety hazards
from the product, as determined dur-
ing hazard analysis.
What are the benefits
for users ?
The benefits for organizations
implementing the standard include
among others the following :
• organized and targeted communi-
cation among trade partners ;
• resource optimization (internally
and along the food chain) ;
• improved documentation ;
Dorte Jespersen,
a chemical engineer,
graduated from the
Technical University of
Denmark in 1992. Since
1994, she has worked
with the Danish Stand-
ards Association (DS) as project manager.
She is secretary of a number of national
standardization committees in the areas of
food, laboratory equipment and medical
devices. Furthermore, she is the secretary
of ISO/TC 34, Working Group 8, Food
safety management systems.
ISO Focus September 2004 9

Main Focus
• better planning, less post-process
verification ;
• more efficient and dynamic food
safety hazard control ;
• all control measures subjected to
hazard analysis ;
• systematic management of pre-
requisite programmes ;
• widely applicable because it is
focused on end results ;
• valid basis for taking decisions ;
• increased due diligence ;
• control focused on what is neces-
sary ; and
• saves resources by reducing over-
lapping system audits.
What are the benefits for
other stakeholders ?
The benefits for other stake-
holders may include :
• confidence that the organizations
which are implementing the stand-
ard have the ability to identify and
control food safety hazards.
“ The most effective
food safety systems are
designed, operated and
updated within the
framework of a structured
management system.”
Photo : ISO
• fills a gap between ISO 9001:2000
and HACCP ;
• contributes to a better understand-
ing and further development of
Codex HACCP ;
• auditable standard with clear
requirements ;
• system approach, rather than prod-
uct approach ; and
• suitable for regulators.
Status of the work
The Draft International Stand-
ard ISO/DIS 22000 was issued on 3
June 2004. The deadline for comments
is 3 November 2004. ISO 22000 is
expected to be available as an Interna-
tional Standard in 2005.
The standard is being devel-
oped by working group WG 8, Food
safety management systems, of ISO
technical committee ISO/TC 34, Food
products. The 6th meeting of the work-
ing group took place on 21-22 June
2004 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Experts from the following
countries are currently participating
in the working group : Argentina, Tracking food
Australia, Belgium, Canada, Den-
mark, France, Germany, Greece, paths
Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy,
Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Repub-
lic of Korea, Sweden, Switzerland,
By András Salgó, Chair ISO/TC
Tanzania, Thailand, United Kingdom,
USA and Venezuela. 34, Food products
The following organizations
have liaison status : Confederation of

Furthermore, the standard
adds value because of the following
features :
• international ;
• provides potential for harmoniza-
tion of national standards ;
• food processors are waiting for this
standard ;
• provides a reference for the whole
food chain ;
• provides a framework for third
party certification;
10 ISO Focus September 2004
the Food and Drink Industries of the
European Union (CIAA), Codex Ali-
mentarius Commission, CIES/Global
Food Safety Initiative, and World Food
Safety Organization (WFSO).
T
he significant increase in the
attention being paid to the
concept of “ traceability ” and
its introduction into the “ real ” world
of chemical, microbiological or of any
other measurements has been one of
the most remarkable features of recent
years.
The concept of traceability,
starting in physical measurements, has
been found useful for many years, but
its exact meaning has been open to
varying interpretations.
In chemical, microbiological
and related measurements, however,
the concept has only been partially
applied. The usual thinking is that

quantitative chemical, microbiologi-
cal, and suchlike measurements (in
analogy with physical measurements)
should be made traceable to the SI
(Système international d’unités) unit
of the amount of substance, whereas
the entity measured can be identified,
for instance, by chemical formulae,
which automatically means measure-
ments of the amount of substance, the
relevant basic quantity in our interna-
tional measurement system.
Clearly, the idea of traceability
is not sufficiently widespread in the
field of chemical, microbiological,
biological and suchlike measurements.
To support the current need for global
measurement comparability, a clear and
generally accepted concept of trace-
ability and the infrastructure to support
such a concept are still missing.
One other meaning and aim
of traceability (or, to put it in other
words), product tracing, is to define,
to put in a system, to increase, and to
document food safety.
Traceability is a useful tool
– but insufficient in itself – to achieve
food safety and other defined objec-
tives in a management system. It is the
ability to trace the history, application
or location of whatever is under con-
sideration.
Governments and
consumers demand
traceability
Governments and consumer
groups are increasingly pressurizing
the food and feed supply chains to
adopt traceability measurements.
Major scandals in the last dec-
ade in different food and feed chains
(BSE, Dioxin, E-coli, Salmonella
“ Traceability is the
ability to trace the history,
application or location
of whatever is under
consideration.”
About the author
András Salgó,
Chair of ISO/TC
34 and TC 34/
SC4, Cereals
and pulses, is a
chemical engi-
neer who studied
at the Budapest
University of
Technology and
Economics
(BUTE). He has a Ph.D. in cereal chemis-
try from the Hungarian Academy of
Sciences, and has a post-doctorate in
cereal chemistry and physiology from the
University of Berne, Switzerland. He has
been Head of the Department Biochemis-
try and Food Technology, BUTE Budapest,
since 1994, and is a member of Executive
Committee of the International Associa-
tion of Cereal Science and Technology.
problems) have highlighted and
confirmed that a lack of traceability
measures and/or traceability systems
can have very negative effects on food/
feed safety.
Traceability systems would
be able to recreate the history of a
product and to trace the destination
in a food/feed chain, and would help
in the search in identifying the causes
of nonconformities, in the withdrawal
or recall of products, and in achieving
greater reliability of information and
thereby contributing to a higher level
of business efficiency.
Where can traceability
systems help ?
Let us look at some important
areas of food and feed production
where sensory perception, quality or
health problems can be avoided by
using effective traceability systems.
These can be the effects of – and/or the
follow-up of – Genetically Modified
materials or ingredients, the appear-
ance of “ new ” microbes, detection of
the falsification of food products, and
investigation into the authenticity of
food, among others.
In January 2005, new legisla-
tion for traceability will be introduced
in the European Union (EU). As part of
the EU General Food Law regulation,
Article 18 contains specific require-
ments for traceability of food, feed and
food-producing animals, and any other
substance intended to be, or expected
to be, incorporated into a food product
or feed.
The USA has also recently been
considering the traceability issue. The
intention of House of Representatives
(2003) is : “ to improve the safety
of meat and poultry products by
enhancing the ability of Secretary of
Agriculture to retrieve the history, use
and location of a meat or poultry prod-
uct through a record-keeping and audit
system, or registered identification,
and for other purposes.”
ISO Focus September 2004 11
Main Focus
A clear ISO role
These trends and new regula-
tions encouraged ISO/TC 34 to estab-
lish the WG 9 (under Italian leadership)
in June 2001 with a view to elaborat-
ing a new work item proposal entitled
Traceability in feed and food chain
– General principles and guidance for
system design and development.
The elements of a system con-
cept in food and feed chain traceability
are the following :
• Identification the specific objec-
tives to be achieved (safety, qual-
ity, history, origin, recall, parties,
communication) ;
• Definition of product(s) and
ingredient(s) to be traced ;
• Relevant steps in food chain ;
• Procedures ;
• Documentation.
has reached the Committee Draft stage
(ISO/CD 22519) and it is being circu-
lated for voting.
This standard provides prin-
ciples and guidance to establish a
traceability system ; it is generic and
therefore not related to specific needs.
ISO/CD 22519 is intended to be flex-
ible enough to allow organizations to
use it to achieve the specific identified
objectives.
In the course of the develop-
ment of the Committee Draft, working
group 9 has been taking into consider-
ation the progress of the “ Traceability/
Product tracing ” project underway in
the Codex Alimentarius Commission
(under Swiss leadership), and the ISO
standard now being developed is har-
Detection of
monized with the Codex documents. It
is expected that the ISO standard will
genetically modified
be finished by the end of 2005 and will organisms and
be published in spring 2006.
derived foods
Traceability
Photo : ISO

as a two-way
exchange By Marianna Schauzu, Head
The experi- of Center of Novel Foods
ence is interesting and Genetic Engineering at
because it points to the Federal Institute for Risk
the possibility of Assessment, Berlin, and scientific
viewing the trace-
secretary of the German Advisory
ability system not
merely as a means Committee for Novel Foods.
to facilitate recalls

“ Traceability can become
a two-way exchange,
enabling the feedback of
information from retailers
and consumers that could
help the food trade and
farmers gain commercial
advantage.”
The proposal, the future ISO
22519, that has ISO 9001:2000 and
ISO/DIS 22000:2004 as its norma-
tive references, and is adopting the
definitions used in ISO/DIS 22000,
12 ISO Focus September 2004
nor purely as a
system imposed by
legislation. Rather,
traceability can become a two-way
exchange, enabling the feedback of
information from retailers and con-
sumers that could help the food trade
and farmers gain commercial advan-
tage.
We hope that the introduction
and application of the new traceability
standard will enhance the transparency
of processes in the food/feed chain,
and will improve food safety as well
as fair cooperation and communica-
tion between the different stakeholders
in the food chain.
O
n 25 % of the global crop
areas, GM (genetically modi-
fied) varieties of soybeans,
cotton, corn, and rapeseed (canola)
are grown today. The genes that have
been introduced into these crops con-
fer resistance to certain herbicides or
produce toxins against specific insect
pests. The United States accounts for
almost two-thirds of bio-engineered
crops produced globally. Other major
countries where GM crops are grown
include Argentina, Canada, Brazil,
China, and South Africa 1).
The future ISO standards being
developed are of global relevance since
they can contribute to facilitate interna-
tional trade and services by providing
an internationally consistent approach
to the detection and analysis of GMO
 Photo : ISO
new legislation with extended label-
ling provisions came into effect 3).
Other governments around the world
followed the European Union exam-
ple and have also developed labelling
provisions for GM foods. However,
the approaches taken in different
countries towards GM food labelling
differ greatly, as shown in Table 1.

With labelling requirements in

place, there was a demand for suit-
able means to control compliance.
Following a suggestion mainly from
European Codex Alimentarius mem-
bers, the Codex Ad Hoc Intergovern-
mental Task Force on Foods Derived

1) James C. (2003) Preview : Global Status of

Commercialized Transgenic Crops : 2003. ISAAA
Briefs No 30. ISAA, Ithaca, NY (www.isaaa.org)
2) Regulation (EC) No 258/97. Official Journal of
derived foods. This will enable affected Labelling provisions the European Communities L 43 : 1-7. 14.2.1997
stakeholders such as seed industries, 3) Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 and Regulation
crop growers, food producers and ana- When the USA first exported (EC) Nr. 1830/2003. Official Journal of the Euro-
lytical laboratories to respond to label- GM soybeans to Europe in 1996, pean Communities L 268: 1-28. 18.10.2003.
ling provisions that numerous countries the European Union (EU), partly in
around the world have developed, or are response to the public debate, intro-
now developing and will provide food duced mandatory labelling for foods
control authorities with a tool to control derived from genetically modified About the author
compliance with legal requirements. organisms (GMO) 2). In April 2004,
Marianna
Schauzu is
Table 1. Samples of international labelling provisions for GM foods
Head of Center
Countries Labelling % Threshold for Unintended of Novel Foods
Scheme GM Material and Genetic
Engineering at
Argentina Voluntary Not applicable the Federal
Institute for Risk
Canada Voluntary 5% Assessment,
United States Voluntary Not applicable Berlin, and
scientific secre-
Australia & New Zealand Mandatory 1% tary of the German Advisory Committee
Brazil Mandatory 1% for Novel Foods. She has been a German
delegate to the European Commission’s
China Mandatory 0% Working Group of Competent Authorities
European Union Mandatory 0,9 % and Food Assessment Bodies, the OECD
Task Force for the Safety of Novel Foods
Japan Mandatory 5 % (in top 3 ingredients) and Feeds, the CODEX Task Force on
South Korea Mandatory 3 % (in top 5 ingredients) Foods Derived from Biotechnology and
the COST Technical Committee on Agri-
Taiwan Mandatory 5 % (of GM soya or corn products) culture, Food Sciences and Biotechnology.
Dr. Schauzu is Convener of CEN Technical
Sources : compiled from Agricultural Issues Center, UC Davis, March 2003 ; Canadian Food Inspection
Committee 275, Working Group 11,
Agency and International Trade Canada, April 2004 ; USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, June 2004 ;
Reuters, March 30, 2004 Genetically Modified Foodstuffs.

ISO Focus September 2004 13

 Photo : ISO
Main Focus
from Biotechnology established at
its first session in March 2000 4) a
Working Group on analytical meth-
ods. The working group under the
chairmanship of Germany compiled
a list of analytical methods together
with their performance characteristics
and validation status through infor-
mation reported by member coun-
tries. A selection of validated meth-
ods was submitted for consideration
to the Codex Committee on Methods
of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS)
in 2002. The methods are accessi-
ble via the Methods Database of the
Joint Research Center of the Europe-
an Commission (http://139.191.1.19/
GMOmethods.htm).

Figure 1 : Strategy of the detection of geneti-

cally modified material in foods

Food sampling

Protein
DNA
extraction and
extraction
immunoassay

Qualitative Quantitative
PCR PCR
Detection of genetic
modifications in foods
The extensive knowledge of
DNA technology that led to the con-
struction of GMOs also allowed the
development of very specific and sensi-
tive detection methods. In order to deter-
mine whether a food has been produced
from a GMO, searching for modified
DNA sequences and/or new proteins
resulting from the genetic modifica-
tion is the preferred method of choice.
Figure 1 illustrates schematically the
detection of GMO derived materials
in foods. Starting point is a sampling
strategy suitable to obtain a representa-
tive sample of the goods under investi-
gation. A next step is the extraction of
either protein or DNA from the sample
under study. The extracted proteins are
taken to an immunoassay. The extracted
DNA is subject to either a qualitative or
quantitative PCR (Polymerase Chain
Reaction).
Protein Analysis
Immunoassays are based on
the specific binding of a protein to
an antibody. They offer a high degree
of automation and a high throughput
of samples. A major drawback of
immunoassays is that detection and
measurement may be limited due to
low levels of protein expression and
degradation associated with food
processing. Moreover, the content of
new proteins is not evenly distributed
in all plant tissues. Immunoassays can,
however, offer a test of considerable
practical value for rapid field monitor-
ing and testing of raw materials, e.g.
grains and meal.
PCR Analysis
Because of its sensitivity and
specificity, the polymerase chain reac-
tion (PCR) which allows the expo-
nential multiplication of a specific
DNA fragment is currently the leading
analytical technology employed in the
qualitative and quantitative analysis
of GMOs. The specificity of the PCR
analysis relies on the binding of short
oligonucleotides (primers) to the flank-
ing regions of a DNA segment associ-
4) Report of the first session of the Codex Ad
Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods
Derived from Biotechnology, Chiba 14 -17 March
2000. Codex Alimentarius Commission
ALINORM ; 01/34

14 ISO Focus September 2004

 Promotion Transgene
5’
Figure 2: PCR-based GMO detection methods
ated with the specific genetic modifi-
cation. Since DNA is present in every
cell of a GMO and the detection of
only a short DNA fragment (50 – 100
bp) is sufficient to identify a genetic
modification, PCR-based detection
methods are suitable to detect traces of
specific DNA sequences even in highly
processed foods.
Photo © Caterpillar
Qualitative DNA detection
methods provide either a ‘ yes ’ or
‘no’ response to the question whether
GMO-derived DNA is present in the
food sample under study. In order to
control quantitatively, i.e. to check if a
given labelling threshold is exceeded
in a foodstuff, the ratio of genetically
modified versus non-modified DNA
is determined using a real-time PCR
(polymerase chain reaction) system.
PCR-based detection methods
can be categorized into different levels
of specificity (see figure 2) :
• Screening methods may be applied
as a first check for the presence of
certain genetic elements that are
common to many of the currently
commercialized genetically modi-
fied plants, such as promoters, ter-
minators and marker genes.
• Construct-specific methods target
the artificial junction between two
DNA elements, such as a pro-
moter and the transgene, that is not
present in nature.
• Event-specific methods are used
to discriminate GMOs that share
the same DNA construct by tar-
geting the unique junction found
at the integration locus between
Photo : ISO
the inserted DNA and the plant
genome.
Terminator Marker gene
3’
Screening
Event-specific
Construct-specific
Standardization
of Methods of GMO
Detection
Following a proposal from
Germany, where official GMO detec-
tion method development began in
1997, the CEN Technical Committee
on Food Analysis – Horizontal Meth-
ods (CEN/TC 275) decided in June
1998 to establish a Working Group to
elaborate standards for the detection
of genetically modified organisms and
derived foodstuffs (WG 11). The CEN/
TC 275/WG 11 held its first meeting
under German leadership in February
1999. Its members represent science,
food industry, analytical laboratories,
and food control authorities. In order
to bring together international efforts,
an ISO Working Group (ISO/TC 34/
WG 7) was set up in July 2000 within
the frame of the Vienna Agreement of
1991. Draft standards are being devel-
oped under CEN lead and commented
by the members of ISO and CEN and
afterwards pre-assessed by ISO/TC
34/WG 7. After a comments resolution
meeting held by CEN/TC 275/WG 11,
the resulting final drafts are put up to a
parallel vote and, if agreed upon, they
are eventually published as EN ISO
standards.
The work programme decided
by CEN/TC 275/WG 11 is based on
the strategy of detection of genetic
modified materials in Foods as given
in figure 1. It comprises the develop-
ment of standards for
• sampling strategies ( ISO 21568)
• protein-based methods (ISO 21572:
2004: E 5))
• nucleic acid extraction methods
(ISO 21571)
• qualitative nucleic acid based
methods (ISO 2169)
• quantitative nucleic acid based
methods (ISO 21570)
• general requirements and defini-
tions (ISO 24276).
“ The future standards will
help allow food control
authorities to control
compliance with legal
requirements.”
Since the work of CEN/TC 275
is restricted to foodstuffs, ISO/TC 34/
WG 7 decided to take up future work
on genetically modified seeds. A first
draft standard on Oilseeds and oilseed
flours – Detection of genetically modi-
fied organisms by real-time quantita-
tive PCR – Soybean (ISO/CD 24274)
has been developed.
5) published by CEN in March 2004
ISO Focus September 2004 15
Main Focus

Microbiological
analysis of foods
and animal
feeding stuffs

By Bertrand Lombard, Chair,

ISO/TC 34/SC 9, Microbiological
methods
Micro-organisms are present
in many foods, and some of them are
very useful for producing foods (such
as wine, yogurt, cheese) by fermen-
tation. Others represent a significant

Photo © ISO
danger for human health : pathogens
as Salmonella and Listeria monocy-
togenes are responsible for human ill-
nesses (such as gastroenteritis, menin-
gitis) when they are ingested by con-

sumers with food. Some can cause
even death of immuno-compromised
persons, such as neonates, AIDS
patients and elderly people. It is thus
obvious why food safety, in particular
in terms of microbiological hygiene, is
an essential requirement of consumers.
This is particularly important nowa-
days, where the extended shelf life of
foods, new processes with milder treat-
ment to help safeguard taste, and long-
distance transport of products repre-
sent more risks in terms of food safe-
ty, the micro-organisms having greater
opportunities to develop in foods prior
to their consumption. All these aspects
make it essential to develop reliable
methods for checking the microbio-
logical contamination of foods.
Not only are reliable methods
in this field needed, but harmoniza-
tion of these methods is also required.
From a scientific point of view, the
microbiological methods which can
be used worldwide are still based on
classical Pasteur microbiology, that is,
on the ability of micro-organisms to
grow in culture media : this being the
case, the result of an analysis is com-
pletely dependent on the method used
(especially in cases of enumeration of
micro-organisms).
Potential trade barriers
In the absence of any unique
reference method for a given target
micro-organism, a diversity of meth-
ods represents a potential trade barrier,
and the blocking of imported products
(by importers that do not recognize the
method used by the exporter, for exam-
ple), even for a few days, can lead to
considerable loss in market share.
In addition, a multiplicity of meth-
ods often results in a duplication of
the analyses (by the producer and the
customer), and therefore in an overall
increase in costs. In these cases, stand-
ardization by ISO represents the ideal
tool for harmonization, where all par-
ties can gather and agree.
It is thus not surprising that
the standardization of microbiologi-
cal methods is an important area of
activity within ISO/TC 34, and that a
subcommittee has been set up entire-
ly devoted to this field since the mid-
1970s – subcommittee SC 9, Microbi-
ology.
Photo : ISO
Methods of functioning
SC 9 has been managed by
France (an AFNOR secretariat with a
French chair) since its creation. It has
27 P- (Participating) members, 20 O-
About the author
Bertrand
Lombard gradu-
ated from the
College of Agri-
cultural and
Agro-food
Sciences of
Paris-Grignon,
obtaining a post-
graduate diplo-
ma in spectro-
chemistry, and prepared a PhD on inter-
laboratory studies in food microbiology.
Between 1990 and1998, he was at
AFNOR, in charge of standardization in
food sector, especially microbiology, and
secretary of ISO/TC 34/SC 9. From1998,
he has been a scientist at the French Food
Safety Agency (AFSSA), coordinator of
the European Community Reference Labo-
ratory on Milk , and chair of ISO/TC 34/SC 9.

16 ISO Focus September 2004

(Observer) members and 14 interna-
tional organizations in liaison.
The objective is to standardize
“ horizontal ” methods, broadly appli-
cable not only to all foods, but also to
animal feed, as well as to environmen-
tal samples in the area of food produc-
tion and food handling. General stand-
ards are also prepared, such as ISO
7218 defining general requirements
and recommendations for microbio-
logical examinations. This standard is
a basis for accreditation of laboratories
in food microbiology.
SC 9 currently comprises two
working groups : WG 1 dedicated to
meat and meat products (for the few
standards specific to this food type),
and the newly created WG 2 on statis-
tics, which is to bring statistical exper-
tise to SC 9 whenever needed. An ad-
hoc group is also currently reflecting
on how to rationalize the preparation
of standardized methods within SC 9,
as well as on the minimum require-
ments for standardizing a method (in
terms of validation).
“ A multiplicity
of methods often results
in a duplication of
the analyses.”
SC 9 has a close relationship
with its mirror European standardi-
zation working group (CEN/TC 275/
WG 6), and the Vienna Agreement
is implemented in a very satisfacto-
ry way : most ISO reference methods
are taken over as CEN standards (for
pathogens, given the scope of WG 6),
and CEN standards related to specific
topics (such as quality assurance and
performance testing of culture media,
validation of alternative methods, use
of PCR in food microbiology, virus-
es) are taken over as ISO International
Standards.
Here are just a few examples, to
illustrate recent and current work :
• a standard establishing a protocol
for the validation of alternative
methods, ISO 16140, Microbiology
of food and animal feeding stuffs
– Protocol for the validation of
alternative methods, was published
in 2003, after a long preparation
process, where harmonization with
AOAC in the USA was realized.
• ISO 6579, Microbiology of food
and animal feeding stuffs – Hori-
zontal method for the detection of
Salmonella spp., a standard deal-
ing with the most common analy-
sis of pathogen in food microbiol-
ogy, the detection of Salmonella,
was revised in 2002. It includes
performance data derived from an
inter-laboratory trial organized at
inter-continental scale, involving
US and European laboratories, and
the first on this scale on a pathogen.
Further to this, in 2003, AOAC rec-
ognized this ISO International
Standard as an Official Method.
• SC 9 is currently developing
Guidelines on measurement uncer-
tainty in quantitative microbiology.
Use of ISO standards in
food microbiology
The public authorities in charge
of protecting consumers’ health and
ensuring that foods on the market
are not harmful, both at national and
regional level, need reliable methods,
which have been validated, established
and agreed by experts. These methods
will be used in official controls. Here
Photo © ISO
again, public authorities need refer-
ence methods which have been agreed
at international level, enabling the rec-
ognition of these controls within inter-
Photo : ISO
national trade. More precisely, nation-
al or regional authorities define, based
on the works of the Codex Committee
on Food Hygiene (CCFH), microbio-
logical “ criteria ” (absence of a given
micro-organism, or a maximum toler-
ated number of micro-organisms per
quantity of product) permitting the
commercialization of foods without
endangering consumer health. Given
the strong relationship between the
result and the method previously men-
tioned, a criterion is not fully defined
unless a reference method is attached
to it. ISO standards are indeed cited
in several national regulations, as well
as in a draft European Regulation on
microbiological criteria.
These microbiological crite-
ria, and other risk management meas-
ures, should be based, according to the
principles laid down by CCFH, on risk
analysis. Here again, the generation of
epidemiological data, required for risk
analysis, needs reliable methods rec-
ognized at international level for the
recognition of the validity of the risk
analysis studies themselves.
“ ISO standards are
cited in several national
regulations.”
The whole portfolio of stand-
ards prepared by SC 9 is used by
accreditation bodies as a sound basis
for accreditation of laboratories in the
food microbiology sector.
Finally, the food industry bene-
fits also from standard reference meth-
ods, that they can use for their own
checks that will therefore be more eas-
ily accepted by the public authorities.
Moreover, if certain laboratories prefer
to use alternative methods available on
the market, a reference method is still
needed as an “ anchor method ” against
which these alternative methods can
be validated according to the protocol
given in ISO 16140.
ISO Focus September 2004 17
Main Focus
Cooperation
works : uniting
strengths for
better standards
by Edward Hopkin,
Director General
Photo : ISO
of the International Dairy
Federation 1)
C
ooperation works and, in
working, saves work, but it
also takes work to achieve
this aim.
The cooperation goes back
to 1961 when the FAO/WHO Joint
Committee of Government Experts
on the Code of Principles concerning
Milk and Milk Products requested IDF
(International Dairy Federation) and
ISO and the US-based Association of
Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC)
to get together to propose methods for
adoption by the committee. In the inter-
vening period cooperation has become
steadily closer so that now the stages in
development are aligned between IDF
and ISO/TC 34/SC 5 2), and identical
texts are used for consultation of the
respective membership and voting for
approval for publication. Joint publica-
tion, the last logical step, was achieved
in 2001 and the two organizations are
attacking the mountain of 162 standard
methods of analysis and sampling. At
the time of writing, 43 jointly pub-
lished International Standards have
appeared. Each of them bears the logo
of ISO and the logo of IDF, bears also
the publication references of both ISO
and IDF and has two Forewords, one
addressed to ISO members and one to
IDF members.
1 The International Dairy Federation is a body
established in 1903 and funded by the dairy
sector. In 2004 IDF has 41 member countries.
2 ISO/TC 34/SC 5, Milk and milk products, was
set up in 1959 and has at present 19 ‘P’ (Partici-
pating) member countries and 31 ‘O’ (Observer)
member countries.
18 ISO Focus September 2004
Cooperation in practice
The interesting question for
standardizers and those interested
in understanding how cooperation
can work will be “ How was this
achieved ? ” Naturally there have had
to be adjustments in the organizations’
procedures to achieve alignment but,
given the number of years that has
passed, and the steady evolution and
improvement that is normal in bodies
like ours it has been a relatively pain-
less process. IDF has, step by step,
accepted the more formal, but also
more transparent, approval system of
ISO and ISO’s system of handling
“ IDF has, step by step,
accepted the more formal,
but also more transparent,
approval system of ISO.”
comments and controlling the proc-
ess of developing a standard. ISO/TC
34/SC 5 has taken over the pragmatic
IDF procedure on developing methods,
bringing all the experts named by the
two organizations to participate in the
work together in a large “ Analytical
Week ” comprising up to 25 Joint
Action Team meetings and involv-
ing over 150 participants every year.
Besides the technical input, the Joint
Action Teams (JAT) organize the inter-
laboratory studies to determine the
precision of the methods demanded by
the IDF and fulfilling the requirements
of the ISO 5725 series, Accuracy
(trueness and precision) of measure-
ment methods and results, between
meetings. Each body has striven to
benefit from the other’s strengths. An
important factor has been the mutual
respect that the individuals involved
have enjoyed for the major part of the
40+ years of cooperation. In that time
there have, of course, been changes of
personnel, but harmony has been a key
factor in the success.
“ The alignment of
technical content is
achieved by the experts
named by the member
bodies of the two
organizations all meeting
in joint meetings.”
ISO/TC 34/SC 5 and IDF have
also each been able to see their work
on methods of analysis and sampling
of milk and milk products as part of a
wider effort. The work covers a major
group of foods within the scope of
ISO/TC 34, Food products, whose
work is largely, if not exclusively,
orientated towards analysis and sam-
pling of food commodities. For IDF it
serves as support for the dairy sector’s
effort towards the FAO/WHO Codex
Alimentarius Commission, the body
recognized by the WTO as the source
of standards of identity for human
foodstuffs in international trade, but
also as an unbiased and independent
point of reference for the analysis of
milk to determine its quality, and hence
the price paid to the milk producer.
Rationalizing the work
Cooperation saves effort
number of ways. Quite obviousl
production of only one public mes a year to ensure
per standard is less work than advance in parallel in
previous arrangement in which s. This level of effort
ISO and IDF produced a public ntinue until the entire
separately and sold them around ternational Standards
world. However, effort is also sav k items has appeared
the earlier stages of development. n.
experts responsible for drafting, te
in interlaboratory studies and cor
ing texts in the light of comments dy has striven
have to do these things once. In
“ bad old days ”, when even the
om the other’s
of consulting the respective bo ngths.”
members were not aligned, it
happened twice. Time is also s
when citing and checking the relev
t standards
of texts to a specific purpose. lectronic means of
provide the oppor-
The end-user benefits ible arrangement for
nd sale of the jointly-
Photo : ISO

from our cooperation

The original programme e
aged completing joint publicatio
all existing equivalent IDF and
TC 34/ SC 5 International Stand
within a relatively short time, bear-
ing in mind that production capacity
is finite. It must not be forgotten that,
at the same time, the normal (joint)
ISO and IDF process of a five-yearly
review and, if necessary, revision of
existing standards has to proceed, and
new work items are being added in
the usual way. A systematic approach
from the start identified the items
that would progress rapidly because
they were already close to completion
or required only minor adjustment,
those that would need more work
to complete, and a third category of
those which, up to 2001, had only just
appeared and would not require review
until 2005.
Cooperation has resulted in rec-
ognizing that a special effort is required
to keep the procedures of develop-
ment and consultation in step in the
two bodies. A refined work alignment
procedure between the secretariats of
IDF and ISO/TC 34/SC 5 has been
established and, naturally, this joint
effort takes work. In the first place,
the alignment of technical content is
ds. The arrangement
or the physical pro-
ocuments at the ISO
at and sale of stand-
es to their respective
y p y customers. Pricing follows the ISO
member bodies of the two organiza- system but each body follows its own
tions all meeting in joint meetings. An conventions with respect to its own
alignment effort has also been under- members and each body promotes the
taken by both secretariats with respect standards to its own “ constituency ”.
to other ISO work, notably on methods
for food microbiology (ISO/TC 34/SC
9). On the administrative side the two More ?
secretariats (IDF and ISO/TC 34/SC
Any reader interested to know
more about IDF-ISO cooperation
is welcome to contact the author,
About the author EHopkin@fil-idf.org, ISO/TC 34/
SC 5 Secretariat, SCHAIK@COKZ.nl
Edward Hopkin
or Pauline Jones, Technical Programme
as been Head
f IDF Secretariat Manager, at jones@iso.org
ince 1989,
aving been at
DF since 1979.
rior to joining
DF, Edward
Hopkin worked
t the British
tandards Insti-
tution (BSI) for 13 years, involved to a
large extent in United Kingdom participa-
tion in ISO/TC 34 and its subcommittees
and working groups. He has thus known
IDF-ISO cooperation from both sides.

ISO Focus September 2004 19

Main Focus
Steamed or
boiled ? Promoting
the production
and trade of rice
By Martha Petro-Turza,
Secretary ISO/TC 34/SC 4,
Cereals and pulses
Photo : ISO
I
n China, tradition holds it that
“the precious things are not pearls
and jade but the five grains ” ; the
first of these is, of course, rice. This
unique grain helps sustain two-thirds
of the world’s population as rice is
the staple food in Asia, Africa, and
Latin America, but its consumption
has also increased in Europe and also
in North America in the last years.
The biological value
of rice
On average, 100 g paddy
(rough) rice contains :
• about 12 g water, 8 g protein 2 g
fat, 70-75 g carbohydrate (starch
and fibre) ;
• from the group of B vitamins:
about 0,3 mg B1, trace amount B2
and 4,7 mg niacin ;
• from the minerals : about 150 mg
potassium, 30 mg calcium, 120 mg
magnesium, 220 mg phosphorus
and 120 mg sulphur.
The “ fuel ” from which the
human body derives most of its
energy is the carbohydrates, and
rice contains a great amount of it.
Approximately 10 % of the carbo-
hydrate content of rice is dietary
fibre, but during processing (husk-
ing, milling, etc.), its content drasti-
cally decreases. At the same time, the
proportion of starch content can reach
80 % in milled rice.
20 ISO Focus September 2004
The composition of rice pro-
tein is the best among cereals, as
the essential amino acids (that can-
not be manufactured by the body)
are present in it in the highest propor-
tion and in the right ratios. In addi-
tion, rice is non-allergenic food as it
does not contain gluten (in contrast
with wheat, barley, rye and oats), and
therefore people who suffer from celi-
ac sprue disease (faulty absorption of
food) can consume it without any dif-
ficulty.
Processed rice contains fat only
in trace amounts, and it is practically
free of sodium – also requirements for
some types of diet.
The vitamins and miner-
als are mainly present in the bran
and embryo of rice ; therefore dur-
ing the milling or polishing process,
the quantity of these nutrients is also
drastically reduced. However, par-
boiling of the rough crop (the orig-
inal purpose of this process was to
loosen the husk) increases the nutri-
tive value of the milled rice as, dur-
ing this treatment, water dissolves the
vitamins and minerals present in the
husk and bran coat and carries them
into the endosperm (inside part of the
grain). To bring the nutritional value
of the processed grain to the whole,
in the USA and some other countries
rice is enriched with the above-men-
tioned nutrients and also with folic
acid (among others, this latter has a
role in the production of blood).
Rice production
of the world
There are over 7000 vari-
eties of rice grown around
the world on a wide range
of ecological environ-
ments (from dry land to
flooded land) varying cli-
mates (from tropical to tem-
perate) and different soil types
and associations (from saline
soils along seacoasts to alumin-
ium toxic uplands). Rice is cul-
tivated in more than 100 countries
from Nepal, which has the highest
rice lands, to Australia, which has the
most productive.
According to the data-
base of the Food and Agricultural
Organization of the United Nations
(FAO), between 1974 and 1999 the
rice production of the world contin-
uously increased (by 77 % overall)
from 332 to 611 million metric tons,
and since 2000 it has decreased slow-
ly. The distribution of the rice (paddy)
production of the world in 1999 and
2003 is shown in Table 1.
Asia is not only the great-
est producer but also the greatest
consumer of rice. China, India and
Indonesia account for three-fourths
of world consumption. The market-
able surplus of these countries is thus
small: for example, the rice exports
of China were barely higher than 1 %
of its total production for both the
years shown. With growing economic
prosperity and urbanization, per cap-
ita consumption has started declining
in the middle- and the high-income
Asian countries. People prefer high-
cost quality food with more protein
and vitamins, such as fish, meat and
vegetables. However, at low level of
income, rice is considered a luxury
commodity.
Thailand is the greatest export-
er of rice. The total exported quanti-
ty (paddy, husked, milled and broken
rice) of Thailand was 6,8 million tons
in 1999 and 7,3 million tons in 2002.
It has a reputation for high quality,
long-grain, white rice, which usually
commands a substantial price advan-
tage over lower grades.
Rice standards and those relating to the maximum level
requirements of impurities) are defined more strin-
gently.
International Standards for rice ISO 6646:2000, Determination
are developed by ISO/TC 34, Food of the potential milling yield from ISO 14864:1998, Evaluation
products, subcommittee SC 4, Cereals paddy and from husked rice, details of gelatinization time of kernels dur-
and pulses. a method to standardize the determi- ing cooking, specifies a method for the
Among the current 52 nation of milling yield, to ensure that evaluation of gelatinization time of rice
International Standards developed by results obtained by different opera- kernel during cooking which is also an
this subcommittee, three deal with rice tors using abrasive test mills are com- important parameter of rice quality.
solely, but 31 others are applicable to parable. Naturally, the milling yield The revised version of the
this crop as well as to all other cere- is an important factor of the price. former ISO 6647, Determination of
als. The majority of the latter standards This standard helps to avoid litigation amylose content, is under develop-
specify methods for the determination between seller and buyer originating ment. This is a very important stand-
of various impurities, physical or chem- in different results reached by differ- ard as it deals with the determination
ical characteristics of cereals. However, ent methods. of amylose, a constituent of starch.
there are standards containing recom-
mendations for the storage
of cereals, methods for sam- Rice producers 1999 2003
pling, etc.
There are 11 items in amount (ton) % amount (ton) %
the work programme of the Asia 554 627 820 90,79 534 262 715 90,77
subcommittee for the devel- China 200 403 308 36,13* 166 417 000 31,15 *
opment of new standards for
cereals, including two for rice South America 22 078 704 3,61 20 133 181 3,42
and four for all cereals. Brazil 11 709 700 53,04* 10 198 900 50,66 *
Africa 17 726 090 2,90 19 076 017 3,24
Table 1 : Distribution of the rice
(paddy) production of the world in Egypt 5 816 960 32,82* 5 800 000 30,40 *
the years 1999 and 2003.
North America 9 343 954 1,53 9 033 610 1,53
The most important USA 9 343 954 100,00* 9 033 610 100,00 *
rice standard is ISO 7301, Europe 3 238 858 0,53 3 217 311 0,55
Rice – Specification, con- Italy 1 427 100 44,06* 1 359 826 42,27 *
taining the general, orga-
noleptic, physical and chem- Central America 2 451 134 0,40 2 428 209 0,41
ical specifications of rice. It and Caribbean
was developed to lay down Dominican Republic (1999) 566 501 23,11*
the minimum requirements Cuba (2003) 715 800 29,48 *
which rice has to meet in
the world market. The stand- Oceania 1 412 341 0,23 412 890 0,07
ard gives the definition of 21 Australia 1 389 800 98,40 * 391 000 94,70 *
terms relating to the process- World total 610 878 901 100,00 588 563 933 100,00
ing and the defects of rice
to avoid misinterpreta-
tions. ISO 7301 summariz- * : expressed in the total production of the continent or the region. Source: FAO
es the defect tolerances of
the different rice categories
and describes methods for
checking how commercial products
fulfil these requirements. To promote
rice trade, the standard also specifies
what should be included in all com-
mercial contracts. The second edition
of ISO 7301 was published in 2002,
Photo : ISO

and compared to the first (published

in 1988), the requirements (mainly

ISO Focus September 2004 21

Main Focus
Starch is the main carbo-
hydrate of rice consisting of two dif-
ferent parts, amylose and amylopectin.
The ratio of these two constituents dif-
fers between the different rice varieties
and determines the textural properties
of rice when it is processed or cooked.
Amylose is present in a higher propor-
tion in long grain rice that when cooked
becomes fluffy and “ stand-alone ”,
with a low tendency to stick. In medi-
um, short, jasmine and waxy rice, on
the other hand, amylopectin is the dom-
inant element that makes these rice vari-
eties more tender with a greater tenden-
cy to stick. Uncooked grains with high
amylose content look translucent while
those with low amylose content look
opaque.
The digestibility of the two
starch constituents is different. Amylose
is much harder to digest than amylopec-
tin. Therefore, consumption of rice con- Tracking fruit
taining higher proportion of amylose
raises the blood sugar level less than
and vegetable
those containing higher proportion of products’ quality
Photo : ISO

amylopectin. As can be deduced from

the above, the amylose content of rice is
and safety
a key factor in the selection of new rice
varieties in breeding programmes.

Unquestionably, standardiza- By Renata Jedrzejczak, Chair

About the author tion of method(s) for the determina- ISO/TC 34/SC 3, and
tion of amylose content of rice has Sylwia Skapska, Secretary of
Martha
great importance. The new standard ISO/TC 34/SC 3, Fruit and
Petró-Turza, a
will consist of two parts, the first con-
hemical engi-
taining the reference method, the sec-
vegetable products
eer, graduated
nd received her ond, the routine method. A compre-
octor’s degree hensive interlaboratory study for the Production and trade
rom the Buda- determination of repeatability and

est Technical
University, Hun-
ary. Between
966 and 1990,
she worked as a researcher for the Central
Food Research Institute, Budapest. Over
the last 13 years of this period, she was
the head of the Analytical Chemistry Divi-
sion of the Institute. Between 1990 and 1995
she was the director of quality assurance of
the Canning Research Institute, in Budapest.
Since 1996 she has worked for the
Hungarian Standards Institution as secre-
tary of ISO Technical Committee TC 34,
Food products, and its subcommittee SC 4,
Cereals and pulses.
reproducibility of these methods is
going on under Swedish project lead-
ership. It is hoped that the new stand-
ard will be published in the first half
of 2005.
F
ruits and vegetables and the
products derived from them
are widely consumed all over
the world, and are very important
commodities in the trade of most
countries. The world production of
fruit and vegetables demonstrates a
systematic growth which exceeded
480 and 840 million tones in 2003,
respectively, while total export and
import values exceeded 150 billion
USD. China, India, Brazil and the
USA are the biggest fruit producers,
while China, India, USA and Turkey
lead in the vegetables production.
Among different species of fruits that

22 ISO Focus September 2004

are cultivated all over the word, citrus
fruits, bananas and apples have shown
the largest annual output, while for
vegetables – potatoes, tomatoes, cab-
bages, onions, cucumbers and carrots.
The short shelf life, especially
of most fruits, and the frequent need
to store and spread out the surplus of a
harvest over a prolonged period of time
has brought about a number of process-
es which provide more durable and sta-
ble fruit and vegetable products. They
included canning, drying, freezing, and
preparation of juices, nectars, jams,
marmalades, jellies and purees. Unique
vegetable products can be obtained by
lactic acid fermentation. Except for pre-
serving the perishable crops, processing
can improve the nutritional value and
increase the bioavailability of nutrients
and the organoleptic qualities of some
fruits and vegetables.
Consumption and
nutritional value
Fruits, vegetables and their
products are one of the most important
components of human diets. Their com-
position can be strongly influenced by
the cultivar, climate and origin. Fruits’
major constituents are sugars, polysac-
charides and organic acids; vegetables
contain mainly carbohydrates, nitrogen
compounds and minor amounts of lip-
ids. Fruits and vegetables provide an
abundant and cheap source of many
vitamins (e.g. A, B1, B2, B6, C, D, E,
K), minerals (e.g. calcium, magnesium,
potassium), and dietary fiber that are
essential for human health. Vitamin A,
C, E, carotenoids and phenolic com-
pounds exhibit an antioxidant activity.
Some vegetables, like garlic, onion,
horseradish, contain substances of
strong antimicrobial activity. Those,
and many other fruit and vegetable
phytochemicals, play the crucial role
in maintaining health and preventing
some widespread diseases, like cancer
and coronary heart diseases. That is
why dietitians recommend eating at
least 700 g of fruits, vegetables and
their products a day.
Quality and safety of fruit and
vegetable products depend on many
circumstances, like conditions of culti-
vation of plant raw materials, process-
ing, packaging, transportation and
storage. Despite all differences, every
product needs to keep to the quality
stated in the appropriate international
or national standards and regulations.
Over many years, analyses performed
in different countries have allowed
tables of chemical composition of
fruit and vegetables and their by-prod-
ucts to be drawn up which enables us
to compare them and find out their
alteration and the authenticity of the
same products from different origins.
On the other hand, the risk of contami-
nation of environmental or processing
origins as well as the multiplicity of
authorized food additives has resulted
in developing sophisticated analytical
methods for controlling these factors.
Controlling the quality
and safety of fruit and
vegetable products
ISO standards for fruit
and vegetable products are
in the responsibility of ISO
Technical Committee TC 34,
Food products, subcommittee
SC 3, Fruit and vegetables
products. They include 41
standards that cover the three
main areas:
About the authors
Renata Jedrzejczak, a
chemical engineer, grad-
uated from Gdansk
Technical University,
Poland. She received her
doctor’s degree and at
Lodz Technical Univer-
sity, Poland and in 2001 obtained the posi-
tion of associate professor. From 1979 she
has worked as a researcher for the Institute
of Agricultural and Food Biotechnology,
Warsaw. Over the last 15 years, she has
been head of the Spectrophotometry Labo-
ratory in the Department of Food Analysis
of the Institute. Since 1992, she has been
Chair of ISO/TC 34/ SC 3, Fruit and vege-
table products.
• determination of natural com-
pounds, physical and biochemical
properties;
• determination of additives;
• determination of contaminants and
impurities.
The first group of standards con-
cerns the analytical methods designed
for checking the basic features of the
products, such as composition (sugars,
acids, vitamins, flavours) and qual-
ity indicators (pH, content of ethanol,
etc.). These standards allow a control
of product authenticity and overall
nutritious and commercial quality. The
second group of standards includes
methods of determination of substances
deliberately added to the product dur-
ing the processing, such as preserva-
tives (e.g. benzoic, sorbic, formic acids,
Photo : ISO
Sylwia Skapska, a food
technologist, graduated
and received her doc-
tor’s degree from the
Warsaw Agricultural
University, Poland.
From1982, she has been
working as a researcher for the Institute of
Agricultural and Food Biotechnology, War-
saw. Over the last three years, she has
been the head of the Fruit and Vegetable
Product Technology Department of the
Institute. Since 2001, she has been secre-
tary of ISO/TC 34/SC 3, Fruit and vegeta-
ble products.
ISO Focus September 2004 23
Main Focus
sulphur dioxide). The third group of
standards is aimed at the detection
and determination of different kinds
of undesirable and harmful substances,
such as mineral and organic impurities,
heavy metals (e.g. lead, cadmium) and
micotoxins (e.g. patulin in apple prod-
ucts).
Because of the fast scientific
progress, analytical standards need to
be constantly reviewed and, if neces-
sary, new, more up-to-date techniques
have to be introduced. Thus, there
are four projects underway in the SC
3 work programme concerning deter-
mination of heavy metals : cadmium,
arsenic and tin, with the advanced
atomic absorption spectrometry meth-
ods.
SC 3 standards are mostly used
by fruit and vegetable producers, pro-
cessing and trading companies, food
controlling institutions, as well as by
scientific laboratories.
The field of activity of ISO/TC
34/SC 14, Fresh, dry and dried fruits
and vegetables (see opposite) looks
on the surface somewhat “similar” to
that of SC 3, but in fact its standards
almost exclusively concern product
Photo : ISO

specifications and storage and refrig-

eration requirements. Only three SC
14 standards include test methods for
dried apples, pears and peaches. Fresh, dry and standards development process. Turkey
ranks third in the world as an exporter
Currently 16 member countries
actively participate in the work of sub- dried fruits and of fresh fruits and vegetables, with the
European Union its most important
committee SC 3, 41 countries have the
status of observer members. Eight inter-
vegetables market for exports. Turkish exporters,
that have now reached the figure of 40,
national organizations : AOAC (AOAC
are paying special attention to Interna-
International), CAC (Codex Alimen-
tional Standards to ensure their trade is
tarius Commission), IFRA - fragrance
as smooth as possible. Exporters enjoy
(International Fragrance Association), By Nevzat Artik, Chair, ISO/ a close relationship with growers, the
IFU (International Federation of Fruit TC 34/SC 14 and Servet warehouse, packaging and processing
Juice Producers), OECD (Organisa-
Atayeter, Secretary of ISO/TC firms. Participation in ISO’s standardi-
tion for Economic Co-operation and
34/SC 14, Fresh, dry and dried zation work is therefore important to
Development), OIV (International
fruits and vegetables the country.
Vine and Wine Office), UN/ECE
The scope of the subcommit-
(United Nations Economic Commis-

T
here is a growing interest in Tur-
sion for Europe), and WCO (World
key in the use of International
Customs Organization) are in liaison
Standards and in being involved
with SC 3.
in the development process of the
standards on fresh, dry and dried fruits
and vegetables. All interested parties in
the country such as public and private
scientific laboratories, exporters’ unions
and associations are involved in the
tee is : “ Standardization in the field of
fresh, dry and dried fruits and vegeta-
bles, in particular, terminology, sam-
pling, product specifications, require-
ments for packaging, storage, transpor-
tation, methods of tests and analysis.”
The number of published ISO stand-
ards under the responsibility of the TC
34/SC 14 Secretariat stands at 69.

24 ISO Focus September 2004

 Our objective is :
• to provide validated methods of
analysis ;
• to facilitate international trade of
fresh, dry and dried fruits and veg-
etables ;
• to satisfy consumers requirements
from the point of view of human
nutrition ;
• to provide guidance and common
terminology for the product speci-
fications, storage and transporta-
tion of fruits and vegetables.
The influence of
standardization on
production and marketing
The safety of fresh food pro-
duce is becoming increasingly impor-
tant in comparison to other processed
food products by the fact of its very
nature. Many standards exist for proc-
essed food as such foods do not dete-
riorate easily during storage and trans-
port ; fresh produce, on the other hand,
is inspected more carefully by import-
er countries.
The producer must constantly
endeavour to adapt to market condi-
tions, and this triggers off the imme-
diate result that any varieties of low
market value will be eliminated. The
producer has also to realize that,
today, the standardization of products
begins when they are still on the tree
or in the field, and that the result of his
efforts depends on the extent to which
his production is adapted to market
requirements.
The tonnage withdrawn from
the market as a result of the application
of standardization would not at present
seem to exceed 10 % of the tonnage
harvested, but this percentage varies,
of course, with the product.
The best sorting, sizing and
presentation practices were therefore
codified for common reference. For
obvious reasons, production techniques
and marketing methods together with
improved transport conditions and a
more efficient use of cold storage were
only developed subsequently, in order
to offer a greater volume of products
designed to meet the requirements laid
down in the standards.
The influence of
units which can meet a correspond-
ingly big demand over a period of
standardization on time.
producer market
organization Centralized marketing was only
made possible by adopting uniform
The scale and nature of packag- standards in line with the regulations
ing operations based on the require- in force in foreign markets.
ments of standardization have made it
essential to locate packaging stations,
whether cooperative or private, in the The influence of
production areas. These stations have standardization on the
two functions : organization of trade
• The technical function of sorting,
On their way from centres of
sizing and packaging the goods,
production to points of consumption,
leading to quality grading for the
products normally move along through
market, and of cold-storing them
marketing channels whose operation has
(pre-refrigeration and conservation
changed over the years. These changes
for varying periods in a normal or
are partly due to the application of stand-
controlled atmosphere).
ardization rules, the spread of which has
• An economic function which is a generally had several effects, namely :
natural extension of the produc-
ers’ activity at the marketing stage
– take, for instance, the transport
and sale of the products in line with
the qualitative requirements fixed
by the purchaser ; or the possible
holding of crops for short or long-
term warehousing in order to even
out the flow of consignments by
eliminating excessive peaks which
would bring down prices ; or the
Photo : ISO
grouping of small consignments to/
from bigger and more homogeneous
About the authors
Nevzat Artık is Chair Servet Atayeter (PhD),
of ISO/TC 34, Dried Secretary of ISO/TC
and fresh fruit and vege- 34/SC 14, graduated
tables. After graduating from Ankara University,
from the Food Engineer- Faculty of Agriculture
ing Dept, Ankara Uni- in 1988. He has
versity, Turkey, Nevzat worked in the Turkish
Artık is at present Professor and Lecturer Standards Institution (TSE) as a Techni-
in the Food Engineering Department at cal Chief of International Affairs Depart-
Ankara University, where he has worked ment-Ankara, ISO 9000/ISO 14001 Lead
Auditor-Istanbul and Director of Quali-
for 25 years. He has worked as a Project
Management of Food Quality Control, ty-Konya between 1988 and 2002, and
ISO 9000 Food Quality Control and a has been Regional Director of TSE
System Inspector, ISO 9000 Food Quality Antalya Branch since July 2002. At the
System Education, and HACCP System same time, he has been Secretary of ISO/
Management, Food Process Design. TC 34/SC 14 since 1988.
ISO Focus September 2004 25
Main Focus
• A geographical expansion of trade
following the adoption of transport
techniques whereby products can
be protected over considerable dis-
tances and for periods which are
sometimes very long ;
• A speeding-up of trade transac-
tions partly due to the more exten-
sive and rapid information now
available to traders that enable
them, by using modern means of
communication, to place orders in
accordance with their requirements
and with the stipulations laid out in
the standards ;
• The development of the market-
ing of large quantities, because
homogeneous consignments can
be delivered by complete lorry or
wagon loads, by palletized load
units or by containers, so that busi-
ness can be transacted at a distance
from the goods or on the basis of
samples ;
• A change in the relations between
traders, whereby personal confi-
dence in their business relations is
partly replaced by the use of guar-
antees of a public or professional
nature that the standards will be
observed.
“ The standardization
of products begins when
they are still on the tree
or in the field.”
It is thanks to standardiza-
tion that collective information – an
important factor in the functioning of
a market – can be provided in a useful
form and exert its full weight.
Standardization also plays a part
in the economics of the market as a fac-
tor associated with all the forces which
help to adjust supply to demand. By
imposing a selection, standardization
tends to eliminate low-quality sur-
pluses which devalue production and
push down prices by their quantities.
Consequently, the selling of standard-
ized fruit and vegetables can lessen, and
even halt, the falls in prices which occur
when quantities of inferior goods arrive
26 ISO Focus September 2004
simultaneously, since prices tend to
follow the values of these goods to the
detriment of better quality products.
Furthermore, standardization
can be a means for effectively regulat-
ing trade. In most countries, the inter-
nal regulations of producers’ coop-
eratives fix prices for deliveries in the
light of what the standards require, and
this principle is an incentive to produce
goods of superior quality.
The influence
of standardization on
inspection of quality…
As the organization of the
fruit and vegetable market is based
on standardization, it is necessary to
ensure that the standards are taken into
consideration.
Consequently the arrangements
adopted in most countries have led to
the establishment of inspection bodies,
whose function may also be educa-
tive.
… and on cost and prices
If products of a commercially
unsaleable quality are removed from
the market at the start, the cost of
preparation, packaging, storage, trans-
port, handling and marketing will be
charged only on those products which
can be sold in normal commercial
conditions, but the depreciation of the
plant required by the different opera-
tions involved in standardization is a
factor in the cost price of the product
which must be taken into account.
Standardization enables pro-
ducers to charge different prices,
depending on the qualities they offer,
on a given market and at a particular
time.
Fats and oils for
healthy living
By John Hancock, Secretary, and
Hans-Jochen Fiebig, Chair, ISO/
TC 34/SC 11, Animal and
vegetable fats and oils
F
ats and oils are an important part
of the human diet, providing 9
kcal/g compared with 4 kcal/g
for protein and carbohydrates. They
also provide the essential fatty acids
which are required for the maintenance
of a healthy human body. They are
used for direct consumption as edible
fats and oils, fully refined seed oils or
as cold pressed fruit oils. Subcommit-
tee 11 of ISO/TC 34, Food products,
is responsible for the standardization
of methods of sampling and analysis
for animal, marine and vegetable fats
and oils.
But fats and oils are also
important raw materials for the food
industry, and this is reflected in a total
worldwide annual production of 124
million tons. Consequently, fats and
oils are major commodities of world
trade with almost 40 million tonnes
being shipped annually, and thus, they
are an important sector for the applica-
tion of international standardization.
The surface area of the world being
used to produce oils and fats is increas-
ing with increased consumer demand,
and there is now a greater regional
diversity of the production of all oil-
bearing crops. Thus, it is essential that
the quality control tests performed on
a shipment of palm oil being loaded
in Papua New Guinea are the same as
those carried out when it is received in
Europe, and the case for standardiza-
tion is obvious.
Complex analysis
methods pose new
challenges
As oils and fats have been
traded since long before Roman times,
one would expect that the methods of
analysis are well developed and “ cast in
stone ”. But as we all know, ISO rules
require the stone to be turned over every
five years. A common feature across all
areas of analysis is the increasing use
of technology and instrumentation,
and it would appear that analytical
chemistry is now merely a branch of
physics. These new techniques do have
many advantages, one being the speed
of analysis. Methods, which used to
take up to a whole day, can now be
performed within minutes, but there
are also some disadvantages of these
developments. The new rule of thumb
is that “ the time it takes to get a result
is inversely proportional to the cost of
the equipment ”. The increasing cost
and complexity of analytical equipment
is restricting the availability of labora-
tories able to carry out the tests, and
also restricting the use of these methods
within the developing world.
The complexity of the methods,
for example, Gas Chromatography fol-
lowed by tandem Mass Spectroscopy,
is also providing a challenge to the
developers of new standards. It is
becoming more and more difficult to
write down the exact details of the
procedures, which must be followed,
particularly when this may vary with
instrument manufacturer. This will lead
to greater emphasis on the extraction
and preparation phases of the analysis.
At the opposite end of the scale is
low technology such as the automatic
measurement of the colour of oils, and
it is proving very difficult to replace
the “ simple ” human eyeball.
The reduction in the
parameters of detection
limits
The use of high technology also
means that detection limits for most
parameters are reducing. The analysis
of dioxins is a case in point. If we
convert the detection limit in this type
of analysis into more practical terms, it
is equivalent to finding one blue soya-
bean in two shiploads of yellow soya-
beans ; in other words, finding 1 bean
in 85 000 tonnes. The ability to deter-
mine smaller and smaller amounts of
chemicals is giving problems to traders
and regulators alike. It used to be that
if any amount of foreign chemical was
found in a consignment of oil, then it
was assumed to be contaminated and
was rejected : “ if you could detect it,
you could reject it ”. This is no longer
the case, and the regulators are having
to decide what levels of potentially
harmful contaminants are acceptable.
About the authors
Hans-Jochen Fiebig,
Chair of ISO/TC 34/SC
11, is a food chemist in
the Institute for Lipid
Research, which is part
of the German Federal
Research Centre for
Nutrition and Food, where he is involved
in issues related to methods of analysis
for fats and oils. He is also the chairman
of the German Fats and Oils Committee
(GA Fett) of DIN and DGF (German
Society for Fat Research).
There is still much to be done in the
area of contaminants such as pesticides
and dioxins, and there is no doubt that
we will have plenty of work to keep us
busy in the future.
The development of
functional foods
Another interesting area for fats
and oils is the development of func-
tional foods. One of the latest work
items of SC 11 concerns the measure-
ment of phytosterols. Phytosterols are
the components not only in the new
range of margarines but also milk and
yoghurt that reduce the level of choles-
terol in the blood. As more companies
are producing this type of product, it is
necessary to be able to measure the con-
tent of the effective ingredient within
the product. SC 11 is also developing a
better method of measuring tocopherols
and tocotrienols, which are the natural
antioxidants in many vegetable oils.
These are being marketed as food sup-
plements which can mop up the free
radicals in the human body, and thus
stop us going rancid. It seems that most
people want to eat more healthily but
not change what they eat. SC 11 also
John Hancock, Secre-
tary of ISO/TC 34/SC
11, is the Technical
Manager of FOSFA
International, a contract
issuing and arbitral
trade association for
companies involved in the trading, brok-
ing and supply chain services of oilseeds
and oils and fats commodities. Within
this role, he manages schemes which cer-
tify member laboratories and superin-
tending companies to carry out contractu-
al analysis and cargo surveying. After
graduating and carrying out research in
physics, he has spent over 25 years in the
chocolate, confectionery and edible oils
industries.
ISO Focus September 2004 27
Main Focus
includes animal fats such as tallow and
lard, and also fish oils such as cod liver
oil. With greater disposable incomes
in the more developed countries, the
analysis of minor components which
may be of benefit to the human body
will again provide an interesting area
for the future development of analytical
methods.

More collaborative trials

are required
SC 11 would like to increase the
number of P-members (currently 17),
as more countries are increasing their
production of fats and oils and oilseeds
above the level demand-
ed by domestic consump-
tion. However, some of
these new growing coun-
tries are not even Observ-
er members of the Com-
Photo : ISO

mittee. It may be timely to

try to contact these coun-
tries and ask if they wish
to join or change their sta-
tus. However, with the cur-
rent worldwide economic
climate and the associated
rationalization and downsizing of many
companies, we are finding that analysts
no longer have the time to participate
in ISO activities, particularly in collab-
orative trials. This means that the work-
Comparing coffees
By Maurice Blanc, Coffee
Scientific Advisor and
International Regulatory Affairs,
Nestec, Chair of ISO/TC 34/SC
15, Coffee
Which standards for
whom ?
Several ISO standards on coffee
have recently been fully revised. An
important standard on vocabulary (ISO
3509), is the reference standard to define
products and operations throughout the
coffee production chain. Referring to this
standard avoids confusion when produc-

load is falling on fewer active mem-
bers. SC11 is a very active subcommit-
tee and meets about every 18 months.
At the last two meetings, in Bordeaux
(France) in October 2002 and in Cincin-
nati (USA) in May 2004, there were
about 25 attendees from 12 members
bodies as well as liaison members.
Last but not least it should
be mentioned that SC 11 has a
good cooperation with the Codex
Alimentarius Committee on Fats and
Oils, where commodity standards for
international trade for both fats and
oils and margarines and fat spreads
are developed. For this purpose stand-
ard methods are required and SC 11 is
happy to support this work by offering
current and new ISO standards for
adoption by Codex.
28 ISO Focus September 2004
C
offee export is a vital source
of income for many countries.
The recent revision of differ-
ent ISO standards dealing with the
quality of green coffee was driven by
the importance of ensuring a sound
trading system for this major com-
modity. Green coffee is traded accord-
ing to its quality. This is determined
by the presence of foreign matter
or defective beans in a more or less
large quantity. Two major green cof-
fee varieties are traded and different
classification systems exist depending
on the variety. The level of quality is
only assessed by counting the defects.
The parallel existence of many differ-
ent national and international clas-
sification systems makes comparison
between the different coffee origins
more complicated.
ers debate, for instance, the description
of a defect or the exact description of a
technical term. However, the core stand-
ard is ISO 10470, Green coffee – Defect
reference chart. This standard lists the
different defects that can be identified
in a coffee lot. The previous version was
too complicated, describing in detail the
impact of every defect on the quality of
the product. It did not, however, address
the impact in quantitative terms. Such a
kind of quantitative impact only exists
in classification systems developed
by trading organizations. The ultimate
objective of an ISO standard, by insert-
ing qualitative and quantitative impact of
the defects, is a first step towards better
harmonization between the different sys-
tems. Every actor throughout the supply
chain would benefit from such harmoni-
zation, from the farmer, the cooperative
or the mill cleaning the green coffee at
origin to the trader, the buyer and the
user at the end of the chain.
What is new ?
Legibility has been dramati-
cally improved by introducing a sim-
ple and straightforward classification
of defects in a limited number of
categories according to their origin.
In addition, the consequences of the
presence of each defect can be now
assessed in a real quantitative way.
The classification systems applied
by trade organizations is based on
counting the number of defects. But
because a stone is a stone whatever
the size and the same for every foreign
matter, the revised ISO standard sug-
gests a weight approach i.e. once the
defects have been sorted they are no
longer counted but weighed and the
percentage of each defect is calculated.
Impact on quality from the presence of
foreign matter and defective beans is
calculated for both loss of mass and
sensorial concern after multiplying
each percentage by specific coeffi-
cients. These coefficients have been
determined to take into account the
level of influence of every defect. It is
expected that the standard can be used
to negotiate any contract of purchase
between a provider and a client. For
some particular defects, a non-norma-
tive annex presenting pictures of these
Photos : Nestlé
“ Coffee vocabulary
avoids confusion when
producers debate the
description of a defect or
the exact description of
a technical term.”
defects has been developed. This kind
of visual tool can facilitate identifica-
tion in case of doubt.
Close cooperation
between producers and
buyers
Coffee trading is a multidimen-
sional system. Partners from the rel-
evant sectors participated in the revision
of these different standards. However,
differing views proved a challenge in
reaching agreement on the impact on
quality of many defects. Certain defects
considered important in one producing
country are not so frequent in another.
There are also countries with a signifi-
cant proportion of high-quality coffees,
mainly marketed in coffee specialty dis-
tribution channels, and others produc-
ing more for the mainstream channel. In
order to develop a worldwide manage-
able system, compromises were found.
As a result, the system now designed is
flexible enough to be applied in many
situations.
Several international organiza-
tions were consulted during the revision
and experts from a few major producing
countries regularly participated in work-
ing committees. The International Cof-
fee Organisation (ICO) also supports the
approach taken into account for this revi-
sion. The coffee world is experiencing a
difficult period characterized by over-
production and depressed prices. Efforts
are made to avoid that sub-standard cof-
fee enters the supply chain. This should
decrease the excessive volume of coffee
on the market and contribute to reaching
a higher price level. In this context, ISO
plays a key role by proposing a manage-
able standard to the various national and
international bodies responsible for cof-
fee classification and commercialization.
The role of an ISO committee or sub-
committee should continue, even after
the adoption of the standard. As regards
coffee, members of TC 34/SC15 should
take the lead in promoting ISO 10470.
Ideally this standard should be
used to reconsider all existing green
coffee classification systems. As
already mentioned, direct comparison
between the various classification sys-
tems is almost impossible. Flexibility in
the supply chain is of increasing impor-
tance. But flexibility means that a very
transparent system exists and allows the
coffee companies’ buyers more choice
in obtaining the best possible quality
and cup profile.
This revised ISO standard would
be seen as a radical solution by part of
the coffee world traditionally installed
in familiar procedures. The actual low
prices of coffee will trigger important
modifications in the profession. These
modifications should be associated with
a greater importance given to cup quality
of the products. The revision of the ISO
standard has been done in this spirit.
About the author
Maurice Blanc
is a chemical
engineer. He
joined Nestlé in
1968, becoming
head of a labora-
tory active in
research in the
non-volatile
components area
of coffee, chico-
ry and tea. He was made head of a techno-
logical group active in the areas of coffee
decaffeination and soluble coffee manufac-
turing. He participates in the main scientif-
ic and professional coffee associations
such as Association of Soluble Coffee
Manufacturers of the European Union and
the Physiological Effects of Coffee, an
organization that studies the physiological
effects that coffee has on the body. He is
administrative secretary of the Association
Scientifique International du Café, Paris,
and chair of ISO/TC 34/SC 15, Coffee.
ISO Focus September 2004 29
Photo © ISO Tea – three leaves and
a bud

Main Focus

Brewing the best

tea standards

By Andrew Scott, Chair TC 34/

SC 8, Tea

C
hances are, that someone,
somewhere is drinking a cup of
tea every minute of the day. If
tea is so common and traded as a com-
modity why do we need standards ?
This is a short outline of the
historical back drop for tea today, how
the tea trade came to work with ISO
and independent researchers to devel-
op International Standards so that eve-
ryone can be assured that they can
enjoy a good cup of tea.

The history of tea

The story of tea is veiled in
myths and history providing a roman-
tic aura; lore and legend intertwine to
create a karma that resonates in every
sip we take. Chinese and Japanese
mythology offer a number of accounts
of the discovery of tea. Chinese folk-
lore relates how the Emperor Shen
Nung first tasted the delights of tea
in 2737 BC. Japanese legend tells of a
Buddhist saint, Bodhidharma, who fell
asleep during his devotions to awake in
distress and cut off his eyelids, throw-
ing them to the ground where they
took root and grew into a tea bush.
Early Chinese literature refers to tea
in Shennong’s herbalist book where
he describes how he found tea infu-
sions to be a beneficial antidote to the
noxious herbal concoctions he tasted
in his search for medicinal plants (Han
Dynasty c. 206 BC - 220 AD) and in
Lu Yu’s scholarly tea handbook Ch’a
Ching or Tea Classic written circa 780
AD. Tea established itself very early
on as part of the fabric of Chinese life
as is recognized by the ancient saying,
‘ there are seven matters to the starting
of a family’s life : fire wood, rice, oil,
soy sauce, vinegar and tea ’.
The early plants, or more cor-
rectly trees, were found in south-west
China speading through Sechuan,
Yunnan and the Yun-Gui plateau.
There are two varieties of Camellia
sinesis, the China plant, or jat, (var.
sinesis) and the India plant, or jat,
(var. assamica). The China jat is a
bush which grows up to 2,75 m tall
with many stems and is very hardy.
The Assam jat is a single stemmed
tree which grows up to 18 m in height
and less hardy. Modern cultivars are
hybrids of these two varieties, this
improves the yield and quality of the
Assam jat whilst losing some of the
hardiness of the China jat.
Tea cultivation quickly spread
from China to Japan and was intro-
duced to Java in 1648 by a German nat-
uralist, Andreas Cleyer. Subsequently
tea was discovered in Assam in 1823
but its cultivation had to await another
decade. The delights of Sri Lankan tea
have their roots in disaster, coffee was
destroyed by rust in the late 1870’s and
tea was planted to replace it. Later on
in the century, Russia began cultiva-
tion of tea in 1847 and cultivation was
established in Africa (Kenya, Uganda
and Malawi) in the early 1900s.
Tea consumption
and the global
economy
The importance of tea both to
the global economy and to the social
order can be seen by the historical
record. Countries and Empires, China,
Japan, India, Britain and Holland all
involve international tea trade and its
consumption. Its economic history is
illustrated by the earliest tax on tea
being imposed in 780 AD by Emperor
Tih Tsung in the Tang Dynasty and
was very unpopular. Later on, the
fortunes of the English East India
company were involved with the tea
trade from the 1700s for two centuries.
In the USA, The Tea Act of 1773 made
law in Britain and its colonies included
a tax that they refused to pay which
resulted in the infamous ‘ Boston Tea
Party ’ and the making of a nation of
coffee drinkers.
From these early beginnings in
China, tea is now enjoyed by consum-
ers all over the world. Over 3 million
tonnes of tea is now produced in over
30 countries around the world to pro-

30 ISO Focus September 2004

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY TETLEY
vide over 1000 billion cups of tea a
year. Hot drinks represent about a third
of all drinks consumed in the world
and tea consumption is a quarter of all
hot drinks. Over one and a half million
tonnes of tea is consumed outside the
producing countries and this valued at
over USD 16 billion in domestic con-
sumption alone. Drinking tea is enjoyed
in over 100 countries around the globe
with different styles of infusion, by
young and old alike, signifying the fun-
damental nature of tea’s universal pop-
ularity. The billion dollar trade of tea
between producing countries and con-
suming countries is therefore of major
commercial importance and is also of
key concern to many consumers. The
degree of industrialization in produc-
ing countries, in the main, is much less
than that in the majority of the consum-
ing countries and tea is plays an import
part in their economy. Consumption
Above – Black tea (left) and green tea (right)
bushes.
Below – Green tea growing near Hangzhou,
China the area famous for the, ‘Longjing’
(Dragon Well) tea.
Black tea growing at the Tata Tea estates in
Munnar, South India.
“ International standards
are vital to facilitate
international trade in tea,
to ensure consumers’
expectations are met.”
varies from country to country and can
be below 1 kg per capita per annum or
over 8 kg per capita per annum.
Tea manufacture
Green tea is predominantly
made by hybrid plants from the China
jat with a smaller more delicate leaf
than those which produce black tea
which are hybrid plants from the Assam
jat, but this is not a hard and fast rule.
The manufacture of tea differs in that
for green tea, the leaves are plucked
and processed without letting the
leaf constituents combine and pursue
chemical and biochemical reactions.
This is made possible by treating the
leaf with a heat process as soon after
plucking as is practical. In contrast,
for black tea the leaves are plucked
and then the leaves are macerated
to allow the leaf constituents to mix
and pursue chemical and biochemical
reactions to create a range of liquors
with a characteristic reddish-brown
hue and taste which can be enjoyed
both with, or without, milk. It is not
surprising therefore that this major
international trade in tea required some
basic guidelines to ensure the produc-
ers and the consumers cultivated, sold
and purchased tea of a quality which
is expected from day to day and from
year to year. Being from a plant, tea
leaves have natural variations due
to climatic and agronomic changes ;
however, in the main there are basic
characteristics which can be measured
to maintain the qualities we all expect.
Tea and International
Standards
International standards are vital
to facilitate international trade in tea,
to ensure consumers’ expectations are
met, to support the development of
Good Manufacturing Practice for both
black and green tea through minimum
compositional specifications and to
provide validated methods of analy-
sis. Tea can be grown in some of the
world’s remote locations, although this
is not always the case as can be seen
in China and Japan, across a number
of continents including Asia, Africa
and South America. One of the many
challenges in developing standards
for tea, particularly in developing
methods of analysis, is to ensure those
who cultivate and manufacture tea can
use the methods equally well to the
sophisticated scientific laboratories
About the author
Andrew Scott is
a biochemist
with research
experience in
drug metabolism
(doctoral studies
at the University
of Surrey sup-
ported by
Glaxo) and food
biochemistry (at
the Chorleywood and Campden Food
Research Association). He joined The Tet-
ley Group, now a subsidiary of Tata Tea
Limited, in 1991. He has been head of the
company’s worldwide Research and
Development department and now works
with the Group Marketing Development
team, bringing innovative new tea prod-
ucts to Tetley markets across the globe.
He has been a member of the BSI AW8
Tea Committee since 1991 working on
the new standards to measure substances
characteristic of tea (total flavonoids and
catechins) to be published next year. He
has recently been appointed Chair of the
ISO/TC 34/SC 8 tea subcommittee to
continue this work.
ISO Focus September 2004 31
Main Focus
used by the regulatory authorities in
the highly consumer oriented coun-
tries. Standards developed in this way
enable the tea producers to demon-
strate that tea is of the quality to be
enjoyed by consumers the world over.
In addition, the trade expectations
are to promote good manufacturing
practice, quality conservation during
economic transport and suitability of
tea for high speed packing for attrac-
tive presentation in the supermarkets
around the world.
“ It is important to develop
methods of analysis
validated internationally
for the measurement
of flavonoid and flavanol
levels in tea.”
The importance of world trade
in tea lead to the recognition in the
late 1960s and early 1970s that stand-
ards for tea quality should be estab-
lished to smooth the progress of trade
and to ensure consumers’ expectations
are met. So, the tea committee was
established and became part of ISO as
Working Group 8 in the early 1970’s
and was fully established as a subcom-
mittee (SC 8) of TC 34 in 1976. The
good work of the committee started to
made early progress by publishing the
black tea standard (ISO 3720) in 1977.
This established the basic parameters
for good manufacturing practice for
guidance with leaf plucking and tea
sorting standards, prevent the sale of
spent leaf and prevent the use of tra-
ditional adulterants. The definition of
black tea was developed and provid-
ed the basic specifications of extract-
able solids, fibre and ash. The support-
ing work developing analytical meth-
ods for preparing samples and measur-
ing moisture content, extractable sol-
ids, fibre and ash content were devel-
oped and validated in ring trials with
laboratories representing both pro-
ducing and consuming countries pro-
vided the 7 analytical methods which
established the means of measuring
the basic tea parameters. These meth-
ods form the basis of the international
32 ISO Focus September 2004
Tasting tea in the sales room at Tetley using
ISO 7516 every day.
trade of tea and are used for auditing
purposes and for resolving of differ-
ences of opinion.
In parallel with this work, meth-
ods for sampling tea (ISO 1839), for
the preparation of liquor for use in sen-
sory tests (ISO 7516), and for a glos-
sary of terms relating to black tea were
established to aid a common language
to be developed in the tea sales rooms.
Black tea is manufactured on a daily
basis in season and a large volume
of this production is sold at auction.
This means that samples are distrib-
uted to agents and purchasers around
the world to evaluate the organoleptic
qualities of the tea to determine if it is
suitable either for direct sale or for use
in the familiar blends of tea we find
on the supermarket shelves around
the world. These methods are used
everyday in the tea sales rooms for tea
selection, valuation and purchase. An
ISO tea grading nomenclature system
(ISO 11286) has also been established
to define different sizes and grades of
tea leaf which can be used as part of
this evaluation process.
The statue of Lu Yu, the early tea scholar, at
the tea museum near Hangzhou, China.
The next phase of work involved
developing a standard for instant tea
(ISO 6079) which is not only used for
a more convenient way of preparing
tea but is also a key ingredient in iced
tea whether in the ready-to-drink form,
which is increasingly becoming avail-
able, or in the dry mixes form which
is available in countries where iced tea
is very popular. The analytical methods
to support this specification have also
been developed and validated by inter-
national ring trials with laboratories
representing producing and consuming
countries.
The advent of bulk packaging
and containerization meant that the
traditional tea chests became less eco-
nomically viable, and they were also
not ideal for protecting tea from mois-
ture and taint. This stimulated the need
for a packaging solution to transporting
tea around the world. A major work
programme was undertaken to develop
a reference sack specification (ISO
9884-1) to provide standard dimensions
for efficient use of container space,
constructed with materials which
ensure adequate strength, protection
from moisture and taint together with
the methods of test. The second part
of the standard (ISO 9884-2) defines
the performance specification for the
sack. This does not envisage that one
sack should be used for the transport of
tea, but defines the material characteris-
tics and performance characteristics by
which alternatives can be evaluated and
found acceptable.
New international
analytical methods
The recent work programme
has focussed on the development of
compositional analytical methods for
tea. A method for measuring caffeine
in tea and instant tea (ISO 10727) was
originally published in 1995 and has
been updated to improve the sensitiv-
ity for determinations in decaffeinated
tea. The two most recently developed
methods to determine substances char-
acteristic of tea, part 1 to determine
total polyphenol content and part 2
to determine catechins in green tea,
are to be published in 2005. The need
for these methods was envisaged in
the first edition of the black tea speci-
fication but it is becoming even more
important because in recent years there
has been an increasing interest in the
health benefits of tea consumption.
Scientific research and epidemiology
studies are proposing that consuming
tea may maintain a healthy disposition
to reduce the likelihood of succumb-
ing to the excesses of cardiovascular
disease and some cancers ; if it helps
Tea everyday at work
with hydration, it could assist weight
maintenance programmes and bone
maintenance amongst other benefits. It
is therefore very important to develop
methods of analysis which are validat-
ed internationally for the measurement
of flavonoid and flavanol levels in tea.
This is not only for compositional
analysis to support the black tea stand-
ard but also to ensure that the quoted
flavonoid contents of teas is meaning-
ful and can be used for comparative
purposes by consumers, the trade and
legislators alike.
The working group including
participants in the UK, Germany, China
and initially Malawi who looked at a
number of different methods of analy-
sis to form the basis for measuring
total polyphenols (flavonoids) in tea
before basing its work on the method
of Singleton & Rossi’s 1965 paper
in the American Journal of Enology
and Viticulture. The challenges were
The famous Longjing (Dragon Well) green tea.
greater when developing a method to
measure catechins (flavanols) in green
tea because pure, verified chemical
standards for accurate quantitation of
the catechins are not commercially
available. These standards were puri-
fied and circulated to the participants of
the international ring trial together with
HPLC columns filled with chromato-
graphic material from the same batch
so that quantitation could be verified
and validated. This work has enabled
the calculation of relative response fac-
tors which means that any analyst can
now quantify the levels of catechins in
green and black tea without the need
to purchase very expensive chemical
standards which may vary in their
purity. This valuable work means that
the methods can now be used equally
well by analysts in the producing and
consuming countries without placing
either at a commercial disadvantage.
The results of measurements
with these methods can now also be
used by the leading researchers in the
Dr. Scott (centre), recently appointed ISO/TC
34/SC 8 chair, with Professor Luo (right),
leader of the Chinese delegation, and her col-
league Ms Guo (left) at the recent ISO confer-
ence at Hangzhou, China in October 2003.
field who establishing the health ben-
efits for consumers of tea. It has taken
over 10 years to develop these methods,
introduce refinements to improve their
application and internationally validate
their use with the collaboration of over
20 laboratories representing both pro-
ducer and consumer countries. So it
was fitting, and with great pleasure,
that Dr Peter Collier, SC 8 Chair
1988-2003, presided over the ISO TC
34/SC 8 meeting which confirmed the
proposal to publish these two methods
as ISO standards in Hangzhou, China
in October 2003.
Achievements of TC 34/
SC 8 and the future
The ISO Tea Committee, SC
8 which forms part of TC 34, has
diligently worked for nearly 40 years
to provide 19 international standards
and provide technical expertise and
support to ISO to ensure consumer
expectations are met, to facilitate the
international trade in tea, estimated
to be worth over USD 25 billion, and
to provide the guidance and common
understanding of good manufacturing
practices for black and green tea. The
work is not complete, the two new
compositional methods of analysis are
ready for publication early next year
and we are now ready to embark on
the work to develop a green tea stand-
ard, long awaited by our Chinese col-
leagues. In addition, we are planning
to develop a method for the analysis
of theanine in tea and evaluate its use,
because it is thought to be useful as
an additional constituent in tea which
might benefit health and because it is
also a potential authenticity marker
for tea.
So when you raise your cup or
glass of tea to your lips, you can rest
assured that many experts in the trade
are working with the officers at ISO to
ensure you enjoy a good “ cuppa ! ”
ISO Focus September 2004 33
Developments and Initiatives
Standards of practice
in dentistry
Prof. Dennis C. Smith, Chair, ISO /TC 106, Dentistry
I
t has been said that no one on their
deathbed said that they wished they
had spent more time at the dentist.
For most of us a visit to the dentist
comes to the top of the agenda only
when it is absolutely necessary. A visit
to the dentist is associated with the
image of toothache and painful drilling
and filling. Yet the reality is that
today’s dentistry provides pain-free
restoration and preventive treatment.
If preventive oral care was initi-
ated in childhood and continued by the
adult, most of us would have excellent
teeth and would need only preventive
care. Most of us did not inherit that
situation so there is still a high demand
as well as an unfulfilled need in many
countries for clinical dentistry.
In the last half-century, dental
practice has been transformed by den-
tal research and evidence-based clini-
cal practice and by the development of
standards for dental materials, instru-
ments, appliances and equipment.
Modern dentistry is much greater in
scope, more complex and has a vastly
greater scientific base. Today’s general
practice encompasses minimal tooth
drilling, adhesive aesthetic fillings,
periodontal care, root canal therapy
and minor surgery and implants. This
breadth of care stimulates an increas-
ing need for standards of practice.
Good oral health for
general, psychological
and functional health
It is now recognized that the
mouth is an integral part of the body,
and that good oral health is essential
not only to general health (mastication,
digestion) but also to psychological
34 ISO Focus September 2004
(appearance, bruxism prevention) and
functional (chewing, temporoman-
dibular joint) health. In recent studies,
effects have been noted as diverse as
increased blood flow to the brain as a
result of chewing and the findings of
epidemiologists that expectant moth-
ers with gum disease are more likely
to deliver too early or to have babies
that are too small.
“ At present there are
more than 100 dental
bonding products
on the market.”
The inexorable aging of the
population which is occurring in
many Western and some other coun-
tries means that many people will
maintain good health to the age of
85, but the majority will require at
least some assistance for physical and
mental impairment including dental
rehabilitation. The implications of
these changes for dental practice and
the utilization of dental biomaterials
are clear. Further, without consensual
agreement on standards for practice
the complex system of dental health
care technology required to treat den-
tal diseases in this population would be
unable to function.
The players in the dental stand-
ards area, in addition to the millions
of patients, are the more than 700 000
dentists represented by the FDI
(Fédération Dentaire Internationale)
and its more than 150 constituent
National Dental Organizations and the
more than 4000 dental manufacturers
represented by the International Dental
Manufacturers and their constituent
regional member associations.
A systematic and
collaborative approach
The development of dental
materials technology and instrumenta-
tion for the fabrication of tooth restora-
tions and dentures using ceramics, met-
als and polymers began two centuries
ago. By the middle of the 19 th century,
measurement of physical and mechani-
cal properties to improve and standard-
ize dental cements and filling materials
was underway, most notably for dental
silver-tin amalgam which provided a
durable filling material for the masses.
In 1920 a research group was
set up at the US National Bureau of
Standards in collaboration (in 1928)
with the American Dental Association,
to study and establish specifications
for materials used in dentistry. The
first specification for dental amalgam
was published in 1927.
This systematic and collabora-
tive approach had a dramatic influence
on manufacturers and the profession
which was to extend world wide in
the susequent decades. Several other
countries set up similar programmes
involving testing and certification
which came to fruition after the Second
World War. About the same time the
FDI recognized the need for interna-
tionally applicable dental standards and
by 1958 had created nine FDI Standards
that were based on American National
Standards. In that year the FDI entered
into a collaborative arrangement with
ISO to foster the worldwide acceptance
of standards for dental materials and
devices. This led to the establishment
of an ISO technical committee for den-
tistry (ISO/TC 106) in 1963. After 1977
ISO/TC 106 assumed responsibility for
dental materials, instruments, devices
and equipment with the FDI being
responsible for clinical and biological
evaluations.

The early work on ISO stand-
ards for dentistry was primarily con-
cerned with physico-chemical charac-
terizations of materials and their use
as a basis for evaluation of fitness for
practice. However, the rapid develop-
ment of new materials and techniques,
beginning in the 1960s, led to recogni-
tion of the importance of biological
evaluations also to assure safety and
efficacy in dental practice. This was
accentuated by the introduction of
legislative requirements for mandatory
testing of dental and medical biomate-
rials in several countries. This neces-
sity for biologic as well as physico-
chemical assessment has led to a much
wider scope and area of responsibility
for ISO/TC 106.
About the author
Professor
Dennis C.
mith was born
n England,
where he gradu-
ted in
Chemistry from
he University of
London. He
btained his
PhD from the
University of Manchester, and began his
career in dental biomaterials there. In
1969, he moved to Canada to become
Professor of Biomaterials and founding
Director of the Centre for Biomaterials.
He has been involved in standards work
for 40 years, and is Chair of TC 106,
Dentistry.
1.
2.
3.
1. The upper jaw of a patient with 7 titanium
implant posts embedded in the bone.
2. The denture framework held in place by
screws into the implant posts.
3. Front view of denture structure in the
mouth.
Photos courtesy Dr. Philip Watson
Photo : ISO
Fostering a youthful and
aesthetic appearance
Over the last two decades,
ISO/TC 106 has grown substantially
as a result of the flood of new prod-
ucts and clinical techniques. There are
three main trends that have prompted
new work. Firstly, there is the public
acceptance and appreciation of the
importance of good teeth to a youth-
ful and aesthetic appearance. Thus, the
interest in oral hygiene and preventive
materials such as toothpaste and other
fluoride products, tooth whiteners and
orthodontics.
“ Innovations demand
both new standards and
the revision of existing
specifications.
Secondly, the increasing desire
for cosmetic or aesthetic dentistry,
which involves minimal size fillings
and tooth-coloured filling materials
such as polymer-ceramic composites
and ceramics. This includes also the
incorporation of bonding systems that
show adhesion to the tooth and so
improve retention and reduce marginal
leakage and staining. This is the most
rapidly growing area: for example, at
present there are more than 100 dental
bonding products on the market.
Thirdly, the exponential increase
in the use of titanium implants embed-
ded in the jaws as a foundation for the
replacement of a missing tooth or teeth
ISO Focus September 2004 35
Developments and Initiatives
so improving the retention of conven-
tional dentures or avoiding such den-
tures altogether. Implants may also be
used as anchors for orthodontic appli-
ances.
As a result of these trends, there
are many new work items and many
innovations which demand both new
standards and the revision of exist-
ing specifications. Some estimate of
the rapid growth can be gained from
the fact that 20 years ago the average
attendance at the annual ISO/TC 106
meeting was about 40 persons whereas
now it is about 300.
1.
2.
1 shows two corroded and broken silver tin
amalgam fillings. 2 shows the same teeth
after the metal fillings have been replaced by
tooth-coloured resin-ceramic composite mate-
rials. (Illustrations courtesy of Dr. D. McComb).
Lack of clinical
performance data
A considerable limitation to
the existing standards is the lack
of clinical performance data. This
is improving, and there is an ISO
standard on clinical trials (ISO 14155
Parts 1 and 2). Nevertheless, the
standards reflect physico-chemical,
mechanical and biological proper-
36 ISO Focus September 2004
ties of current materials known to alie Martel has been appointed as the
be acceptable in practice. Narrower Secretary for the technical committee.
limits and upgraded values would be Ms. Martel has a background in busi-
possible if there were more data from ness administration and previously
the clinical setting or from realistic had experience with the Federation
clinical simulations. A major prob- of Canadian Municipalities and the
lem of course is the rapid turnover National Research Council of Cana-
of commercial products. We need to da. Nathalie Martel can be reached at
identify test methods that detect early nmartel@cda-adc.ca
deterioration of materials under clini-
cal conditions.
“ Twenty years ago the
average attendance at
the annual ISO/TC 106
meeting was about
40 persons ; now it is
about 300.”
In addition to TC 106, about
20 other TCs are concerned directly or
indirectly with healthcare technology.
Those relevant to dentistry include :
sterilization and disinfection, anaes-
thetic equipment, surgical instruments
and materials, and surgical implants.
A liaison is maintained with most of
these committees.
ISO/TC 106 has seven active
subcommittees and 47 working
groups. The total membership of the
group is about 300. There are 150
published ISO standards relating to
dentistry.
This brief account of ISO/
TC106 is not able to detail the tech-
nical complexity of modern dental
standards but it is hoped that it does
indicate the dedication, effort and
contribution of the members of the
technical committee towards the
endeavours to maintain dependable
standards of practice in a rapidly
changing world.
In April 2004, BSI (United
Kingdom) relinquished the secre-
tariat of ISO/TC106, Dentistry after
30 years. The responsibility was
assumed by Canada, which has been
a member of the committee for many
years. The secretariat is located at
the Canadian Dental Association
Photo : ISO
in Ottawa with the support of the
Standards Council of Canada. Nath-
A world of applications
for gas calibration
By Theo Hafkenscheid, Chair, can have major consequences. In the Our incentive for
ISO/TC 158, Analysis of international natural gas market, the implementation
caloric value needs to be known to
gases, and Ortwin Costenoble, Ten years ago, ISO/TC 158
the permillage, as it concerns major
Secretary ISO/TC 158 quantities in which a small deviation set out upon its work programme
may involve millions of dollars. under new Dutch chairmanship. For

A
ppearances can be deceptive. all the applications highlighted above,
Although at first glance, the ISO/TC 158 has produced guidance
scope of our work appears standards to describe generic meth-
restricted (preparation and use of cali- “ Calibration of gas ods for preparation of calibration gas
bration gas mixtures), on closer mixtures and ways of calculating gas
inspection, the standards it develops mixtures is of extreme composition and the determination of
have a big impact on a wide range of importance in situations uncertainty when measuring.
applications where accurate knowl- in which even the
edge of gas mixture composition is
required : smallest deviations Photo : TNO-NMI, Dutch Metrology Institute

• for demonstration of compliance in measurements can have

with regulations, e.g., measure- major consequences.”
ment of car emissions, alcohol
tests, stack emissions, occupational
exposure ;
• for trade purposes, e.g., measure-
ment of compositions of natural
gases, refinery gases, coke oven
gases, measurements of air pollut-
ant emission levels for the purpose
of emission trading ;
• for industrial purposes, e.g.,
purity analysis of industrial gases,
verification and certification of gas
mixture compositions ;
• for environmental purposes, e.g.,
monitoring of greenhouse gases,
stratospheric ozone scavengers,
tropospheric ozone precursors. Over the years, four standards
dealing with dated preparation meth-
Our work is mainly concerned ods were withdrawn, and some others
with the calibration of gases and gas transposed to ISO/TC 193, Natural
mixtures; our market is limited specif- gas. Moreover, the gas analysis vocab-
ically to the calibration of gas market, ulary (ISO 7504) has been updated.
although the direct influence of what Additional standards focus on quality
Photo : Scott Specialty Gases

we do affects the whole gas market. control of gas analysis and handling of
All gas analysing equipment needs gas cylinders, aimed at supporting the
calibration: the use of calibration of production of reliable gas composi-
gas mixtures is of extreme impor- tion data and, thereby, at promoting a
tance in situations in which even the smooth and reliable worldwide trans-
smallest deviations in measurements action of industrial and other gases.
ISO Focus September 2004 37
Developments and Initiatives
Our “ library ” currently consists of 19
standards and technical reports.
ISO/TC 158 members have
been, and still are, active in other
standardization committees, such as in
ISO/TC 193, Natural gas, and ISO/TC
146, Air quality, providing input aimed
at the accurate measurement of specif-
ic gas mixture compositions. As a con-
sequence, TC 158 standards have now
become normative references in many
standards devoted to the applications
mentioned above. Additional stand-
ards enhance quality control and the
handling of products, avoid the risks
of producing quality data that are not
sound, and ensure smooth and reliable
worldwide transactions in industrial
and other gases.
When ISO/TC 158 met in a
plenary session in April 2004 in Kiev,
Ukraine, we finalized the work of
four of our six working groups. Only
a few amendments and a technical
report were added to our work pro-
gramme. To bolster the incentive to
users to implement its standards – in
particular, to the new European Union
member states – the TC is currently
38 ISO Focus September 2004
starting a process of consultation with
CEN, the European Committee for
Standardization, to have its standards
adopted as European standards.
All players meet in
Amsterdam
In Kiev, we solved the ultimate
problems and made the final touch-
ups on a work programme that start-
ed in 1994 and consisted of a revision
of all the TC’s standards and the addi-
tion of four guidance documents. This
explains the interest of the subject and
why we have organized an interna-
tional symposium, the International
Gas Analysis Symposium and Exhibi-
tion, to be held between
6 and 8 October 2004 in
the RAI congress cen-
tre in Amsterdam that is
to be addressed by Mr.
Rein Willems, President
Director of Shell Neth-
erlands, to highlight and
show off our rejuvenat-
ed standards.
This has become
a regular event, unique
in the gas and cali-
bration world, where
researchers, industrials,
laboratory workers and
calibration gas users
meet each other with a focus on inter-
national standardization. The event is
also used to test new standardization
About the authors
Theo Hafkenscheid,
chair of ISO/TC 158,
Analysis of gases, has a
background in analytical
chemistry and a PhD in
physics and mathematics.
He is a senior scientist
at the Mass and Chemistry department of
NMi van Swinden Laboratory, the
Netherlands. Mr. Hafkenscheid is an
expert in quality assurance/quality control
of measurements of gases, with a focus on
air quality monitoring, and has 20 years
of experience in various standardization
committees and working groups.
ideas in – and to extract new direc-
tions for standardization from – the
work field. At the symposium, experts
from all over the world will assemble
to exchange knowledge on the latest
developments. A variety of subjects
will be addressed in parallel sessions,
such as trace elements, on- and off-line
analyses, sampling guidance and new
applications of gases, gaseous fuels
and calibration gases.
With the Kiev update of our
programme, ISO/TC 158 is ready for
new challenges, and cooperation with
other ISO technical committees work-
ing on gases. We will discuss all exist-
ing and upcoming ideas and requests
from standard users.
ISO/TC 158 work in the future
is likely to be mainly in producing
technical specifications and informa-
tive standards, to act as a generic start-
ing point for the development of more
specific, compound-oriented methods
for gas analysis. Obviously, ISO/TC
158 offers its support to other TCs
dealing with analyses of gases and gas
mixtures.
Photos : TNO-NMI, Dutch Metrology Institute
Ortwin Costenoble,
secretary of ISO/TC
158, Analysis of gases,
has a background as a
materials engineer. He
joined The Netherlands
Standardization Institute
(NEN) in 2000 as a standardization
consultant, immediately taking care of
the Secretariat of ISO/TC 158. He is also
involved in (mainly European) projects
in petroleum, LPG, alternative fuels and
natural gas.
New this month
Circumscribing
a scourge :
corrosion
The corrosion process is the
starting point – or the catalyst – for
a number of industrial failures, acci-
dents and catastrophes (Bhopal, for
instance), as well as day-to-day prob-
lems. Corrosion is the physicochemi-
cal interaction between a metal and
its environment that results in changes
in the properties of the metal. Under
modern industrial conditions, corro-
sion as a process is no longer just a
build-up of layers of rust on the surface
of metal as a result of water vapour and
salt action. Like a virus, it adapts itself
insidiously to environmental condi-
tions, and causes great damage and
considerable loss of income, estimated
at 3 % of GNP in developed countries.
ISO standards have a very consider-
able and significant role to play in
preventing it arising and halting its
progress.
The ISO Standards
Handbook :
Corrosion will
prove a useful tool
for designers,
engineers,
technologists.
The ISO Standards Handbook
Corrosion 1) gathers together into one
volume 56 International Standards for
corrosion and corrosion protection
mostly prepared by ISO/TC 156, Cor-
rosion of metals and alloys (38 stand-
ards), that takes the lion’s share.
But, showing just how prevalent this
scourge is, many other ISO technical
committees have developed specific
standards related to the phenom-
enon: ISO/TC 17, Steel, ISO/TC 28,
Petroleum products and lubricants,
ISO/TC 67, Materials, equipment and
offshore structures for petroleum, pet-
rochemical and natural gas industries,
ISO/TC 79, Light metals and their
alloys, ISO/TC 44, Welding and allied
processes, ISO/TC 22, Road vehicles,
ISO/TC 26, Copper and copper alloys,
ISO/TC 114, Horology, and ISO/
TC 123, Plain bearings. So important
are the preparation and protection
of steel substrates that the whole of
Volume 4 of the ISO Standards Hand-
book, Paints and varnishes, is devoted
to this subject.
Failures due to corrosion
impact on health and safety, and on
the environment so that the avoidance
and control of corrosion are of the
utmost importance. The ISO Standards
Handbook : Corrosion will prove a
useful tool for designers, engineers,
technologists, and for all those dealing
with corrosion protection in different
branches of industry.
1) ISO Standards Handbook, Corrosion.
In English, ISBN 92-67-10395-4, 1st ed. 2004,
930 p.
Year of transition
for ISO 9000 and
confirmed growth
for ISO 14001
The ISO Survey of ISO 9001:
2000 and ISO 14001 Certificates,
which each year provides a panorama
of certification to ISO’s well-known
quality and environmental manage-
ment system standards, has just been
published revealing the worldwide
situation at the end of 2003, which was
a year of transition for ISO 9000 and
confirmed growth of ISO 14001.
ISO itself does not perform
certification to its ISO 9000 and ISO
14001 management system standards
and does not issue ISO 9000 and ISO
14001 certificates. It carries out The
ISO Survey, which is now in its 11th
year, as a public information service.
ISO collects the survey data from dis-
parate sources and cannot guarantee
their quality and accuracy. However,
the survey is eagerly awaited each
year since it provides a unique indica-
tor to the worldwide implementation
of ISO’s management system stand-
ards – although organizations may
also implement and benefit from the
standards without seeking certifica-
tion.
The survey provides the follow-
ing principal results for 2003 :
ISO 9001:2000
Up to the end of December
2003, at least 500 125 certificates to
the ISO 9001:2000 quality manage-
ment system standard had been issued
in 149 countries and economies.
The 2003 total represents an
increase of 332 915 (+ 200 %) over
2002, when the total was 167 210 in
134 countries and economies.
The 2003 total represents an
increase of 455 737 (more than ten
times higher) over 2001, the first year
for which the survey recorded ISO
9001:2000 certifications, when the
total was 44 388 in 98 countries and
economies.
ISO Focus September 2004 39
New this month
ISO 14001
The increase in the number of
certificates in 2003 to the ISO 14001
environmental management system
standard is the largest so far recorded
in the nine surveys in which ISO 14001
has been included.
Up to the end of December
2003, at least 66 070 certificates to
ISO 14001 had been issued in 113
countries and economies.
The 2003 total represents an
increase of 16 621 (+ 34 %) over 2002,
when the total was 49 449 in 117 coun-
tries and economies.
Following the 15 December
2003 deadline for transition from the
1994 versions of the ISO 9001, ISO
9002 and ISO 9003 standards, ISO
9001:2000 became the only ISO 9000
standard for accredited certification
recognized by ISO and the International
Accreditation Forum (IAF).
At the end of 2003, two weeks
after the transition deadline, the 500 125
total of ISO 9001:2000 certificates was
equivalent to 89 % of the 2002 world
total of 561 747 of ISO 9000 (old and
new versions) certificates.
However, ISO qualifies this,
stating : “ The 11 % of non-ISO 9001:
2000 certificates identified by the
survey at the end of 2003 cannot be
taken as a final measure of the transi-
tion. This 11 % includes organizations
that have made the transition since the
deadline, or are still to do so during
the course of 2004. These include ‘late
starters’ in the transition process who
were unable to complete it by the dead-
line, and also includes organizations
that, due for a re-certification audit in
2004, decided to make the transition
by this date.”
The number of ISO 9001:
2000 certificates shows an increase of
332 915 over 2002, and the worldwide
total of ISO 9000 certificates (old and
new versions), shows an apparent
increase of 6 238 – from 561 747 to
567 985. ISO states that this increase
has to be qualified “ apparent ” because
not all survey sources were able to
supply 1994 version figures, having
deleted these from their databases.
40 ISO Focus September 2004
In addition, the survey identi-
fies two developments in particular
as being responsible for reducing the
worldwide total of certificates.
One is the evolution from mul-
tiple, single-site certificates to single,
multiple-site certificates. This is the
case of organizations operating mul-
tiple sites, each of which previously
held a separate certificate, that have
now rationalized their certification
programme as they made the transition
and obtained a single ISO 9001:2000
certificate covering multiple sites. This
evolution affects multinational compa-
nies in particular. Its complete extent is
unknown, although the partial figures
obtained indicate that the phenomenon
is growing.
A second evolution is that
several major global industries are
implementing quality management
system requirements that incorporate
ISO 9001:2000 with additional ones
specific to their sector. This reduces
the number of “ pure ” ISO 9001:2000
certificates, replacing them by sector-
specific certification.
However, the survey adds :
“ Paradoxically, this evolution may
actually be increasing the number of
‘ ISO 9001:2000 ’ certified organiza-
tions because ISO 9001:2000 is incor-
porated within sector-specific docu-
ments that are being cascaded down
the global supply chains of important
sectors comprising many thousands
of supplier companies. Examples are
ISO/TS 16949:2000 (automotive), TL
9000 (telecommunications) and ISO/TS
29001 (oil and gas).”
It has not been possible to ana-
lyze precisely the impact of the above
factors. Consequently, ISO intends to
improve and refine the modalities for
the collection of data for the 2004 edi-
tion, in particular to obtain a clearer pic-
ture of single multiple-site certificates
as well as of certification to other ISO
management system standards.
The principal survey findings
are provided free of charge on ISO’s
Web site, including world, regional and
country breakdowns. Previous survey
editions are also posted on the site
allowing comparison of data from the
first survey in January 1993.
The ISO Survey of ISO 9001:
2000 and ISO 14001 Certificates – 2003
(ISBN 92-67-10393-7) is also available
as a combined report and CD-ROM. In
addition to the categories of data listed
above, the report includes world totals
by industrial sector, while the CD-
ROM also provides country-by-country
breakdowns by industrial sector.
A considerable amount of free
information on ISO 9000 and ISO
14000 is available on ISO Online.
Coming up
Main Focus
Global relevance and
global strategies
“ Global ” is not only a very concrete
concept in the business context of
today, but a vital component in social
and technical fields as well, where it
is difficult to operate effectively
without taking the global factor into
account. In the standards area, it is a
key element to ensure the effective-
ness of the use of standards and to
help avoid raising “ technical barriers
to trade ”.
Though the phenomenon has been
growing exponentially over last dec-
ades, the notion of “ global ” will be
especially present at the ISO General
Assembly this month. The 2004 event
in Geneva, debating about both what
has happened over the year since the
General Assembly in Argentina in
2003 and what is in the pipeline
today, “ global ” has been an issue
affecting many or most of the major
issues currently on the table.
Between May and October 2003,
ISO organized a consultation of ISO
members and stakeholders and of
ISO’s major international partners to
collect suggestions and expectations
regarding ISO’s strategy, ISO Strategic
Plan 2005-2010 – Standards for a
Sustainable World. The fruits of the
thought, reflection and consultation
on the part of its stakeholders were vide a basis for international trade in
condensed into a “ global ” vision for system products and services ”. From
the coming five years that is being a summary of a vast body of systems
considered at the General Assembly. thinking about products and services,
The broad lines and thinking behind best practice has been progressively
the Plan are highlighted in this issue refined and formalized, and has cul-
of ISO Focus. minated for the first time in a single,
The role that standards can play in commonly accepted, international
assuring global security and ISO’s viewpoint set in the business context.
current and potential involvement is to
Corrosion
be the theme of a talk at the General
protection of steel
Assembly, followed by a case study in
structures. ISO’s
maritime and multi-modal transport ;
Standards Handbook
the potential for ISO standards to
on Corrosion is now
develop tools to assist in attaining
available. Corrosion
greater global security is also the
has a voracious
subject of a report from ISO’s high-
appetite, and the
level advisory group on security, that
damage it causes is very considerable.
is conducting a stakeholder outreach
Corrosion of steel can be prevented by
programme.
various procedures – most effectively,
The global relevance of standards has
by coating systems. ISO 12944,
been a topic of discussion for some
Paints and varnishes – Corrosion
time – ensuring that the standards ISO
protection of steel structures by
produces are good for use through the
protective paint systems (in eight
world. To emphasize the importance of
parts) contains all the important
this aspect of International Standards to
information on the protection of steel
standardizers, members and stakehol-
structures against corrosion by coating
ders, ISO’s Technical Management
systems. Through the wide variety
Board has developed a Policy State-
of options of design of steel structures,
ment giving the theory and practice
their range of application is vast.
behind the term of “ global relevance ” ;
ISO Focus takes a look at the
ISO explains why these represent
standard’s potential.
important notions for members and
standardizers to keep constantly in
mind.
Developments and
Initiatives
Business excellence. Global, too
are today’s patterns of trade, leading
to products and services that can be
more complex, have wider scopes of
operation and draw on suppliers offer-
ing a greater diversity of technology
than ever before. ISO/IEC 15288, Measurement of water cycle
Systems engineering – System life components. Water in a stream
cycle processes is an ambitious stand- knows no jurisdictional boundaries,
ard from ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 7, Soft- neither local nor national, and that
ware and system engineering, “ to pro- same water may eventually move to
any other part of the earth through the
water cycle. Measurement of the com-
ponents of the water cycle therefore
require to be measured to universally
acceptable methods and the function
of ISO/TC 113, Hydrometry, is to
prepare the necessary standards.
ISO Focus September 2004
Whether it’s Autumn or Spring
in your region...
...the environment is global.
14 001
ISO

ISO 1
4004

Coming this Winter (or Summer),

the revised ISO 14001* and ISO 14004*.
The global EMS standards.
www. .org
* Already available as FDIS (Final Draft International Standards)