Message from the President

SUPS – Sugar Proficiency Testing Scheme

This is the name that has been given to the new scheme being launched by ICUMSA in conjunction with LGC. Information should be with you soon to allow you to consider whether you wish to participate; initially the scheme will concentrate on analysis of colour, turbidity and ash on white sugar samples. The aim is to then develop the scheme by extending the range of samples and parameters depending on the wishes of the scheme members. The benefits of joining the scheme will be: a) the ability to compare laboratories measurements with others in the scheme worldwide b) enables laboratories to demonstrate the quality of their measurements to third parties c) facilitates the monitoring of trends, over time, in the quality of measurements d) assists the evaluation of methods and instruments e) helps and educates laboratory staff and its customers

Next ICUMSA Session

The date of the next session has had to be put back by one week due to problems at the venue. The meeting will now take place between 2^nd and 3^rd October at the Marriott Delray Beach Hotel, Florida, USA. The SPRI meeting is scheduled between 28^th and 30^th September, with a joint visit planned for 1^st October. This follows the format of the previous two meetings held in 2006 and 2004.

Following the change to using only English as the language for the meetings, we agreed that it would be beneficial if Referee’s reports were available well before the meeting in order that people can prepare as necessary. Therefore could all Referees send their reports to Dr Puke by the end of April 2008. They will then be posted on the ICUMSA website for viewing.

New Referees

Following the retirements of a number of our colleagues I would like to welcome the following new Referees who have all been appointed since our last meeting:

General Subject 1: Mr Ross Urquhart

General Subject 2: Ms Karen Pardoe

General Subject 8: Mr Jean-Marc Huet

Subject 2: Dr Maciej Wojtczak

Subject 8/9: Mr Brian White

Subject 13: Mrs Gülýn Sezer

 

Two notable members of our Commission have retired this year and I would like to pay tribute to their many achievements.

Dr Klaus Thielecke

After a long and distinguished career in the German sugar industry Dr Thielecke retired earlier this year. His many accomplishments included revising the analytical methods for the German Sugar Industry Association and he was also an official expert for arbitral food analyses. In 1978 he started ICUMSA work as an Associate Referee in six Subjects and was appointed Referee for the new Subject “Oligosaccharides and Polysaccharides” after the 19^th Session in Cannes. As Referee for this Subject he has presented reports to six successive Sessions between 1990 and 2006. In 1994 he was also voted onto the managing committee of the German National Committee of ICUMSA.

Jean-Pierre Lescure

M Lescure started work in the French sugar industry in 1968 and first participated in ICUMSA at the 16^th Session in 1974 as an Associate Referee for Subject 24 “pH and specific ion electrodes”. For the 17^th Session, in 1978, he presented his first report as Referee for the same subject. In 1990 he becameReferee for General Subject 8 “Beet Sugar Processing” as well as being an Associate Referee in four further Subjects. In 1994 he became a Vice President of ICUMSA and was given an “Award of Merit” in 1998. Altogether he has presented reports to nine sessions of ICUMSA and is the author of six methods.

I would like to thank both Dr Thielecke and Mr Lescure for the many years of service they have given to ICUMSA and I would also like to wish them both a long and happy retirement.

Finally I would like to wish all members of ICUMSA a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

Geoff Parkin

President, ICUMSA