The Microbiology Department has been ISO certified since October 2022, approved as a Public Testing Laboratory by Food and drug Administration, Maharashtra since March 2010 for testing of cosmetics The Department is involved in Microbiological Testing of Cosmetic Raw materials and Finished Products.
Microbiology Laboratory equipped with a Bio-safety Unit, Scale-up and Testing activities for Cosmetics raw materials and Finished Good products.
Specialized Bioreactors for mass production of Microbial Cells.
Downstream Processing Section equipped for Extraction, Isolation, and Purification of Bioactive Components and analysis with GC, HPLC, HPTLC and GC/MS instruments.
Bio transformation of Organic Molecules.
In-vitro Antimicrobial Testing and the in-vivo Efficacy studies of actives and the final formulations used in cosmetics as per Standard BIS and ASTM Methods.
Testing activities in Microbiology Department
| Sr. No | Type of Study | Reference Standard method | Method | Type of samples Tested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Microbial examination of Cosmetics | As per BIS 14648 | -Total Viable count (Bacterial and yeast & Mould count) -Determination of Gram negative pathogens | E.g.:- Cosmetic raw material and finished products, soaps etc |
| 2 | Determination of Antimicrobial Activity by Serial Dilution Method | As per BIS 11479 | Determination of effectiveness of antibacterial activity of soap samples | E.g.:- solid and liquid Soap samples |
| 3 | Estimation of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration | – | Determination by Broth macro dilution method | E.g.:- Cosmetic raw material and finished products, soaps, sanitizers etc |
| 4 | Determination of Antibacterial Activity by Contact Kill Method | As per BIS 11479 | Determination of Antibacterial activity by measuring its rate of kill against a selected organism | E.g.:- Cosmetic raw material and finished products, soaps, sanitizers etc |
| 5 | Determination of effectiveness of antimicrobial preservatives | As per IP /USP 51 | Demonstration of the efficacy of the cosmetics preservative during the shelf and usage life of the cosmetic product. This is a regulatory requirement aimed at reducing risks to consumer safety. | E.g.:- Cosmetic finished products |
| 6 | Estimation of zone of Inhibition | As per BIS | Based on the principle of zone of inhibition | E.g.:- Cosmetic raw material and finished products, soaps, sanitizers, Deodarant, Anti dandruff and Anti acne activity |
| 7 | Determination of Antimicrobial Activity By Time Kill Assay | ASTM E 2315 | Determination of antimicrobial activity by measurement of rate of kill of the organism by the formulation at regular time intervals. The percent kill is judged by comparing the kill of the Microorganism on contact with the sample to that with Solvent control. | E.g.:- Cosmetic raw material and finished products, soaps, sanitizers etc |
| 8 | Evaluation of Antibacterial Products by Glove Juice method | ASTM E 1174 | Determination of effectiveness of antimicrobial handwashing agents for the reduction of transient microbial skin flora when used in a handwashing procedure | E.g.:- Soaps, handwashes, sanitizers etc |
| 9 | Evaluation of antibacterial washes by Cup Scrub technique | ASTM 1874 & ASTM E 2752 | Evaluation of test materials containing antibacterial ingredients that are intended to reduce significantly the number of organisms on intact skin. It is also used to provide an indication of residual antibacterial activity. The procedure is used in protocols intended to evaluate and identify resident flora. | E.g.:- Soaps, handwashes, sanitizers etc |
| 10 | Evaluation of effectiveness of Sanitizers | ASTM 2755 | Evaluation of healthcare personnel hand rubs/ Hand sanitizer against microbes | E.g.:- Sanitizers |
Standard Cultures for Testing
| Sr.No. | Name of the organism | Sr.No. | Name of the organism |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Aspergillus brasiliensis ATCC 16404 | 7. | Salmonella abony NCTC 6017 |
| 2. | Candida albicans ATCC 10231 | 8. | Staphylococcus aureusATCC 6538 |
| 3. | Corynebacterium xerosis ATCC 373 | 9. | Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538P |
| 4. | Escherichia coli ATCC 8739 | 10. | Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175 |
| 5. | Malassezia furfur ATCC 14521 | 11. | Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 49134 |
| 6. | Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 9027 | 12. | Propionibacterium acne ATCC 11827 |