Microbiology Services
Sagescript Institute offers microbiology testing of cosmetics and toiletries. Tests available are the two most important assays:
Aerobic plate count (APC) - enumeration of bacteria present in a sample
Fungal/yeast count (F/YC) - enumeration of fungi (mold) or yeast present in a sample
New Lower Pricing: Sagescript wants to thank all our customers who have supported us in the past!
|
No of Samples
|
APC
|
Fungal/Yeast
|
Both Together
|
| 1-2 |
$19 |
$19 |
$31 |
| 3-4 |
$18 |
$18 |
$28 |
| 5+ |
$16 |
$16 |
$26 |
For larger orders please contact us for pricing.
Testing your cosmetics in
this way is
one step in assuring you that you have a safe product to
sell. A 1-2 ounce sample of your product is all that is needed. The
procedure will follow the guidelines of the US Food & Drug
Administration (FDA) for microbiological methods for cosmetics. Testing
takes between 1-2 weeks.
The FDA does not require any microbiology testing but it is a responsible thing to do to protect your formula and your customer.
The APC and Fungal/yeast test tells you what the condition of your product is at that time as opposed to the challenge test which tells you how your preservative will hold up when known bacteria and fungus are added to it. This is an expensive test that is $500 or more. Some small home crafters will do the “common usage test”. For this you would first have your product tested to assure it is without significant contamination then you would use and abuse a sample for 2-4 weeks so that you know you are introducing bacteria into it. Have it tested again to see how your product holds up to that insult. The counts for the second testing should be as low as the first testing. The cost for this would be the same as two APC and fungal/yeast tests ($62). Many people will have their products tested ever 3-4 months to estimate a shelf life or determine how long their preservative works.
To send a sample, download and print the request form by clicking the button below and send that in with your sample. Payment can be made by enclosed check or by Paypal.
You will need adobe reader to download the form, please click here to download it for free.
Additional services are available on a consultation basis.
These might include gram stain, challenge testing, Mean
Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). Pricing for these will vary depending
upon details.
Testing your cosmetics in this way is one step in assuring you that you have a safe product to sell. A 1-2 ounce sample of your product is all that is needed. The procedure will follow the guidelines of the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for microbiological methods for cosmetics. Testing takes approximately a week. Additional services will be added as need arises (challenge testing, MIC). Pricing is $19.00 for a single test, or $31.00 for APC and fungal/yeast count together. Discounts can be given with volume.
This link describes a hospital case where patients were infected because of a nurse using a contaminated hand lotion:
These tests can also be applied to other products such as foods and herbs.
Please contact me for more information if you are interested. Mail
Here is what the FDA guidelines say about bacteria in cosmetic products:
"Cosmetic products are not expected to be aseptic; however, they must be completely free of high-virulence microbial pathogens, and the total number of aerobic microorganisms per gram must be low. Since there are no widely acceptable standards for numbers, temporary guidelines are used instead. For eye-area products, counts should not be greater than 500 colony forming units (CFU)/g; for non-eye-area products, counts should not be greater than 1000 CFU/g. The presence of pathogens would be particularly important in evaluating as unacceptable a cosmetic with a marginally acceptable count, e.g., 400 CFU/g for an eye-area product. Pathogens or opportunistic pathogens whose incidence would be of particular concern, especially in eye-area cosmetic products, include S. aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, P. aeruginosa and other species, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Some microbes normally regarded as nonpathogenic may be opportunistically pathogenic, e.g., in wounds."
The EU recommendations are similar.
Payment can be made by check or Paypal.
"What is essential is invisible to the eye..."
- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, in The Little Prince
