News

Go back

28.12.2017 - Cosmetics

Suitability tests/ Verification of the efficacy of the neutralizing agent in cosmetics

The ISO 11930 as well as other standards, such as ISO 21149, describe methods and nutrient media for conducting microbiological examinations. The antimicrobial active ingredients from the cosmetics must be neutralized during the investigation so that they no longer influence the test results. The most important step for neutralizing the antimicrobial ingredients is the dilution of the product with an appropriate diluent. Microbiological examinations without this step can yield false results (No growth on the medium although microorganisms are present in the product).

To demonstrate that the dilution is suitable, the effectiveness of the neutralizing agent must be proven according to the standards (=suitability test). For this purpose, the products to be tested are inoculated with defined microorganism suspensions. Subsequently, it is examined how well the applied microbial count method can recover the number of microorganisms introduced into the product.

A test of the effectiveness of the neutralization agent ensures that the microorganisms present in the sample can be reliably detected within the framework of the chosen investigative method. If the suitability of the method cannot be demonstrated, the test must be adapted for the specific formulation. Such suitability tests have been established for pharmaceuticals for several years and are routinely carried out.

In our laboratory, we routinely perform these investigations. We provide you with fast and reliable results. Should you have any questions, our customer service representatives are at your disposal.