Preservatives are antimicrobial additives that are incorporated into product formulations to help maintain the quality of a product by inhibiting and reducing microbial contamination. The Antimicrobial Effectiveness Test (AET) is performed to gauge the performance of those preservatives.
Test Details
Procedure
Antimicrobial effectiveness testing is performed by inoculating the product with a known quantity of specified microorganisms, such as bacteria, yeasts, and molds. The quantity of microorganisms found in the control sample is then compared to the sample over specified intervals over a 28-day period. The number of microorganisms that grow in a sample are counted and compared to establish limits to determine if the product meets the USP <51> standard for microbial contamination. The common five USP AET test organisms are C. Albicans, S. Aureus, E. Coli, P. aeruginosa, and A. brasiliensisApplication
- Pharmaceuticals
- Food and Beverage
- Cosmetics
Reference
The test is performed in accordance with USP 43: 51 Antimicrobial effectiveness testingContact Us
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