ICC standards are the official analytical methods and procedures published by the International Association for Cereal Science and Technology to ensure consistency, comparability, and quality in cereal and food testing. According to ICC’s own validation procedure, these standards are checked regularly to determine whether re-validation is needed, for example when the scope is expanded or other significant changes affect the method.
ICC standards play an important role in cereal science and food analysis because they provide harmonized methods that laboratories can use to generate reliable and comparable results. Their value lies not only in technical accuracy, but also in creating a common language for research, industry, and quality control.
To keep these methods fit for purpose, ICC regularly reviews whether a re-validation is necessary. Re-validation may be triggered by changes such as an expanded scope, modifications to the method, new equipment, updated reference materials, or other developments that could affect performance. This approach helps ensure that the method remains robust, relevant, and scientifically sound over time.
The plan to re-validate ICC standards therefore follows a structured quality-management logic: identify the need for re-validation, assess the impact of the change, define the validation requirements, and document the outcome transparently. In practice, this means that only methods that continue to meet the expected performance criteria are maintained as ICC standards.
Overall, the re-validation process supports the credibility of ICC standards and strengthens confidence in the results generated with them. It is a practical safeguard that keeps methods aligned with current scientific and analytical requirements.
The following working groups were set up:
- 1. Grains, Sampling and sample preparation (milling)
- 2. Carbohydrates
- 3. Macronutrients (Working group already started)
- 4. Micronutrients
- 5. Safety
- 6. Rheology (Working group already started)
- 7. Enzymatic activity, Allergens, Statistics
We also warmly invite interested parties to join the relevant working groups and contribute their expertise to the ongoing development and re-validation of ICC standards. Participation in these groups offers a valuable opportunity to support scientific quality, share practical experience, and help shape methods that meet the needs of research and industry.
ICC membership is not required to join a working group. If you are interested in contributing, please send your expression of interest to
