ICUMSA News n°62 – June 2008

Message from the President

ICUMSA 26th Session

As stated in ICUMSA News number 61, the date for the forthcoming Session is 2nd to 3rd October 2008 and the venue is the Marriott Delray Beach Hotel, Florida, USA. The SPRI meeting is scheduled between 28th and 30th September, with a joint visit planned for 1st October. This follows the format of the previous two meetings held in 2006 and 2004. Registration details are now available and can be obtained from SPRI via their website www.spriinc.org

Referees’s Reports

Referee’s reports have started to arrive and can be viewed on the ICUMSA website in the Members’ Section. I would like to thank those Referee’s that have sent their reports early and would encourage all others to do the same. This allows everyone to read the reports prior to the meeting, especially where translation is required and allows for a more productive session to take place.

Address Data Base

In order to keep the address data base up to date, which is provided on the ICUMSA website, all members of ICUMSA are urged to inform the General Secretary on all changes in their coordinates. The Chairmen of the National Committees are asked to provide a yearly updated members list. The General Secretary will forward this information to Bartens for updating.

SUPS – Sugar Proficiency Testing Scheme

This scheme is now running well with participants receiving monthly reports on their results for colour, ash and turbidity measurement of white sugar. A copy of the latest report can be viewed on the ICUMSA website and I would encourage anyone interested to read this to understand the quality of the information the scheme provides.

The first SUPS microbiology round has also recently taken place with samples measured for aerobic mesophiles, yeasts, moulds and osmophilic yeasts and moulds. This represents the first stage of the development of the scheme to include further parameters and samples. Plans are being developed to increase the range of analytes for testing on white sugar and also to start a molasses sample type in the scheme.

Further details of the scheme, and the plans for its development, will be presented at the forthcoming meeting.

Geoff Parkin

President, ICUMSA

SUPS Sugar Proficiency Testing Scheme

Report published on 06 June 2008