Under the auspices of AOAC INTERNATIONAL, communities have the ability for open communications and decision making based on consensus, sharing of resources both financial and expertise, preventing duplication of efforts, and validating methods that are of outmost importance to the communities. The methods that result from the communities work are accepted internationally and are used by regulatory and industry scientists alike for many purposes including public health and safety, regulation, trade, monitoring, and quality control. AOAC has a number of communities in various stages of development including food safety and security, agricultural materials, marine and freshwater toxins, dietary supplements, food allergens, and disinfectants.