Preservative Testing

Preservative Testing

Synthetic and natural preservatives (antimicrobial agents) encumber incidental microbial contamination which may occur over the course of normal product usage. Although not considered “active ingredients”, preservatives serve a vital role in the protection of drug and cosmetic products from microbial contaminants.

Preservative Chemical Assays – It is important to conduct chemical assays of preservative ingredients prior to their use in products to assure they are of the desired strength and purity. Chemical assays should also be conducted on finished product batches to assure that preservatives are present at the formulated level, thus affording antimicrobial protection of the product as intended.

Preservative Efficacy Testing (PET) / Antimicrobial Effectiveness Testing (AET) – Although not a chemical assay, this microbiological test is used for determining whether the preservative system in a susceptible cosmetic or drug product is suitable for that specific formulation, container type, and pattern of product usage.

Our Capabilities

CPT℠  maintains a state-of-the-art Analytical Lab in which chemical assays of preservative raw ingredients and preservative levels in finished products are conducted.

CPT℠  also maintains a state-of-the-art Microbiology Lab in which Preservative Efficacy / Antimicrobial Effectiveness Testing is conducted on drug and cosmetic formulations.  

Our in-house experts assist manufacturers in identifying the highest quality preservative ingredients to use in their products and to determine the most effective preservative combination(s) and concentration(s) for their formulations.

Our Departments

Based on the individual needs of our clients, we offer a wide range of support across various departments. Since initial product testing can be fairly complex in terms of a high-quality, safe and trusted product, our clients typically explore the benefits of numerous departments and areas of expertise, including:

  • Clinical — Efficacy trials can be performed for safety, consumer in-use, and to support claims such as ‘dermatologist-tested’ and ‘ophthalmologist-tested.’
  • In-Vitro Toxicology — Our In-Vitro Toxicology department assists clients when they are looking to perform non-animal (animal-free) toxicology testing.
  • Microbiology — Microbial contamination and preservative efficacy testing are key to cosmetic and OTC drug products.
  • Photobiology — From SPF and Water-Resistant claims to Photoallergy and Phototoxicity studies, CPT℠ is the world leader in sunscreen testing.
  • Analytical — From raw materials, product batch release, and stability shelf-life testing to “free-of” and low-level detection claims, our analytical department ensures that all requirements are met based on industry standards.
  • Consulting – Our consulting staff can perform GMP and GLP audits of your facilities or vendors, help create SOPs, develop testing programs, etc.

Get In Touch

Please Note: CPT℠ only performs testing for companies. We do not perform product testing for the general public.