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Microbial Testing
Any suggestions on an a good microbial Testing kit ? I’m looking to test a hair formulation but unsure of what “kit” would be best suited for this. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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7 Replies
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None. You need to send it to a competent lab.
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The problem using kits is they can easily become contaminated at some point, whether during supplier processing or when you’re trying to use it at home.Also, whatever “good result” you get from the kit, that doesn’t mean you should finish your product and start selling it ASAP. The labs equipped for microbial testing are far better than what any kit can accomplish. Don’t believe any repacker that tells you “you can skip lab testing”!
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I find the Mikrocount kits from Schulke useful to do scoping tests on new product development. If you get growth on the dipslide, you certainly would fail a lab test. It’s a quick, cost-effective way to get an indicator if your preservation system is working or not, prior to going for a full PCT.
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Dip slides are poor - no neutralization of preservative, product obscuring potential growth and product has to be pretty bad for it to show growth. If you see contamination, it is a signal your prob should not be making cosmetics with your system. No growth is meaningless - you’ll still need to test at a qualified lab.
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PhilGeis said:If you see contamination, it is a signal your prob should not be making cosmetics with your system. No growth is meaningless - you’ll still need to test at a qualified lab.
That’s exactly the point of how dip slides can be useful in new product development. No point in spending $500 on a lab test when a $5 dip stick will tell me that my preservation system is definitely not working.
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Yes, we use Mikrocount dip slides in a lab incubator during the development phases. And if all is OK, it’s then off to a certified lab for Challenge Tests.Who has the money to spend on a lab test during product development? -
@RedCoast thank you for the information. It is also good to know a kit can become contaminated even at the supplier point.
@MarkBroussard thank you for the suggestion as I have found it a challenge to find a possible good source.
@PhilGeis this is also great information. I do know using such a kit might not be a good source but being that im just in the development phase I wanted to test before actually sending off to a lab which is the end goal .
@mikethair thank you
All this information is of great help being that im a newborn to this and just in the R&D phase. Thank you all.
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