The National Institute of Standards and Technology, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research and Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, and the National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements, are collaborating to produce a series of Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) for dietary supplements. A suite of ephedra materials is the first in the series, and this paper describes the acquisition, preparation, and value assignment of these materials: SRMs 3240 Ephedra sinica Stapf Aerial Parts, 3241 E. sinica Stapf Native Extract, 3242 E. sinica Stapf Commercial Extract, 3243 Ephedra-Containing Solid Oral Dosage Form, and 3244 Ephedra-Containing Protein Powder. Values are assigned for ephedrine alkaloids and toxic elements in all 5 materials. Values are assigned for other analytes (e.g., caffeine, nutrient elements, proximates, etc.) in some of the materials, as appropriate. Materials in this suite of SRMs are intended for use as primary control materials when values are assigned to in-house (secondary) control materials and for validation of analytical methods for the measurement of alkaloids, toxic elements, and, in the case of SRM 3244, nutrients in similar materials.

Standard Reference Material (SRM) 2387 peanut butter was recently issued, and the process used for value assignment of nutrient and aflatoxin concentrations is reported herein. Values were assigned using data provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and collaborating laboratories. SRM 2387 is intended for use as a primary material for assigning values to in-house control materials and for validation of analytical methods for measurements in peanut butter and similar high-fat matrixes. SRM 2387 lies in sector 3 of AOAC International's fat-protein-carbohydrate triangle. With the addition of SRM 2387, NIST now offers materials within-or on the borders between-all sectors of the triangle. The Certificate of Analysis for SRM 2387 provides assigned values for concentrations of fatty acids, proximates, elements, and total dietary fiber, for which product labeling is required by the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990, as well as several vitamins, amino acids, and aflatoxins, for which labeling is not required. (Aflatoxin levels in peanut butter are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.)

Standard Reference Material (SRM) Baking Chocolate was recently issued, and the process used for value assignment of nutrient concentrations is reported herein. SRM 2384 is intended for use as a primary control material for assigning values to in-house control materials and for validation of analytical methods for the measurement of fatty acids, proximates, vitamins, and elements in chocolate and similar high-fat matrices. The Certificate of Analysis for SRM 2384 provides assigned values for concentrations of fatty acids, proximates, vitamins, elements, and total dietary fiber, for which product labeling is required by the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990, as well as for catechins, caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline. These assigned values were based on measurements by NIST and/or collaborating laboratories.