TY - JOUR
T1 - Distributional assumptions in food and feed commodities - Development of fit-for-purpose sampling protocols
AU - Paoletti, Claudia
AU - Esbensen, Kim H.
PY - 2015/3/1
Y1 - 2015/3/1
N2 - Material heterogeneity influences the effectiveness of sampling procedures. Most sampling guidelines used for assessment of food and/or feed commodities are based on classical statistical distribution requirements, the normal, binomial, and Poisson distributions - and almost universally rely on the assumption of randomness. However, this is unrealistic. The scientific food and feed community recognizes a strong preponderance of non random distribution within commodity lots, which should be a more realistic prerequisite for definition of effective sampling protocols. Nevertheless, these heterogeneity issues are overlooked as the prime focus is often placed only on financial, time, equipment, and personnel constraints instead of mandating acquisition of documented representative samples under realistic heterogeneity conditions. This study shows how the principles promulgated in the Theory of Sampling (TOS) and practically tested over 60 years provide an effective framework for dealing with the complete set of adverse aspects of both compositional and distributional heterogeneity (material sampling errors), as well as with the errors incurred by the sampling process itself. The results of an empirical European Union study on genetically modified soybean heterogeneity, Kernel Lot Distribution Assessment are summarized, as they have a strong bearing on the issue of proper sampling protocol development. TOS principles apply universally in the food and feed realm and must therefore be considered the only basis for development of valid sampling protocols free from distributional constraints.
AB - Material heterogeneity influences the effectiveness of sampling procedures. Most sampling guidelines used for assessment of food and/or feed commodities are based on classical statistical distribution requirements, the normal, binomial, and Poisson distributions - and almost universally rely on the assumption of randomness. However, this is unrealistic. The scientific food and feed community recognizes a strong preponderance of non random distribution within commodity lots, which should be a more realistic prerequisite for definition of effective sampling protocols. Nevertheless, these heterogeneity issues are overlooked as the prime focus is often placed only on financial, time, equipment, and personnel constraints instead of mandating acquisition of documented representative samples under realistic heterogeneity conditions. This study shows how the principles promulgated in the Theory of Sampling (TOS) and practically tested over 60 years provide an effective framework for dealing with the complete set of adverse aspects of both compositional and distributional heterogeneity (material sampling errors), as well as with the errors incurred by the sampling process itself. The results of an empirical European Union study on genetically modified soybean heterogeneity, Kernel Lot Distribution Assessment are summarized, as they have a strong bearing on the issue of proper sampling protocol development. TOS principles apply universally in the food and feed realm and must therefore be considered the only basis for development of valid sampling protocols free from distributional constraints.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84928821060&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.5740/jaoacint.14-250
DO - 10.5740/jaoacint.14-250
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 25806601
AN - SCOPUS:84928821060
SN - 1060-3271
VL - 98
SP - 295
EP - 300
JO - Journal of AOAC International
JF - Journal of AOAC International
IS - 2
ER -