Microbial contamination, of cosmetic

Microbial contamination of cosmetics, toiletries and pharmaceuticals can lead to two types of problems ... 

Baird, R. M., 1977. Microbial contamination of cosmetic products. J. Soc. Cosmet. Chem. 28, 17-20... 

Contamination. Manufacturers of cosmetics must be careful to guard against chemical and microbial contamination. Chemical contamination, which may result from the presence of undesirable impurities in raw materials, is avoidable by adhering to rigid specifications for raw materials. Compendial specifications and pubHcations by the CTFA and other professional societies form the basis of most intracompany raw material specifications. Moreover, all packaging components must meet not only physical and design specifications but also such chemical requirements as extractables and absence of dust and similar contaminants (see Packaging, cosLffiTics and pharmaceuticals). 

Decorative eye cosmetic products have been reported to be subject to pathogenic microbial contamination. Regulatory agencies in several countries, therefore, permit the use of mercury-containing preservatives in eye makeups. The infections reported were to a large extent caused by contamination during use, and the introduction of self-sterilising preparations seems warranted. 

Excluding cosmetic defects, all units that would be procedurally discarded during production shall not be incubated. The reason for discarding shall be documented. It is important that the procedures for excluding units be sufficiently specihc to ensure consistency between process simulation runs and normal operations. Incubation of nonintegral units would introduce a risk for microbial contamination (e.g., during transport to the microbiology lab or... 

Preservatives are added to various dosage forms and cosmetic preparations to prevent microbial contamination. In parenteral and ophthalmic preparations, preservatives arc used to maintain. sterility in the event of accidental contamination during use. An ideal prc.scrvative would be effective at low concentrations against all possible microorganisms, be nontoxic and compatible with other constituents of the preparation, and be stable for the. shelf life of the preparation. The ideal pre.servative dues not exi.st. but there is quite a bit of experience with some of them. In srnne ca.ses. combinations of preservative agents arc used to approximate a mixture of ideal features. 

Cosmetics in particular are multi-component systems containing, besides water, different nutrients for micro-organisms, such as carbohydrates, nitrogenous compounds, biodegradable detergents and emulsifiers and mineral salts. There is always a risk of microbial contamination during the production of... 

Manufacturers of cosmetics must be careful to guard against chemical and microbial contamination. Chemical contamination, which may result from the presence of undesirable... 

The introduction of synthetic surfactants in the 1940s opened the door to a new class of disinfectants. These are very useful for the low levels of disinfection needed in the food and cosmetic industries. The environment (e.g., air, water, raw materials, and human contact) can readily introduce microbial contamination to products containing these surfactants. Such contaminants are not usually human pathogens, but in some cases, pathogenic strains such as Salmonella can occur. 

The manufacturer or the importer is responsible for the safety and efficacy of cosmetics marketed in ROK. Cosmetics must not present a risk for human health due to inadequate ingredients, microbial or heavy metal contamination, unhealthy manufacturing practices or insufficient packaging. 

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