Microbiological Testing

Overview

UL's microbiological testing provides a vital quality check on consumer products. We help companies understand and measure the risk of contamination across a wide range of consumer goods, ranging from soaps to soups to supplements. Our customers choose to work with UL to help ensure that their products meet critical industry safety and reliability specifications and the demands of customers and regulatory bodies.

Definition

UL detects aerobic plate counts, yeast and mold, and pathogens that may be present in consumer products.

Benefits

The testing experts who work in UL’s worldwide network of laboratories use the most-advanced methodologies to comprehensively test for potentially hazardous pathogens and spoilage organisms. Our tools and testing processes evolve continuously to keep pace with this fast-moving space and are built on a solid foundation of over 60 years of experience supporting the efficacy and safety of consumer products.

An independent, third-party testing provider, UL offers stand-alone testing and turnkey quality assurance solutions with a range of integrated services. National and private-label brands trust UL to help keep their consumable products safe and effective.

DELIVERABLES

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PRODUCTS THIS SERVICE APPLIES TO

Dietary supplements, food, beverages, health and beauty care, OTC/pharmaceuticals, premiums and promotional products, store brands/private labels, toys, nursery and children’s products

APPLICABLE STANDARDS

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) International	Voluntary consensus standards used to improve product quality, enhance safety, and facilitate market access and trade
American Spice Trade Association (ASTA)	Industry standards for analytical testing of spices
Association of Analytical Chemists (AOAC)	Standardized, chemical analysis methods designed to increase confidence in results of chemical and microbiological analyses
British Pharmacopeia Convention	Authoritative official standards for pharmaceutical substances and medicinal products in the UK
Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008	Authorized a variety of new regulations and testing requirements for children’s products and some non-children’s products
Consumer Specialty Products Association (CSPA)	Fosters high standards in order to maximize the safety, performance and sustainability of the household and institutional products industry
EU Pharmacopeia Convention	Harmonizes specifications for medicinal substances of general interest to the population of Europe; drafts specifications for the growing number of new medicinal substances appearing on the market
EU Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical (REACH) Substances	Addresses the production and use of chemical substances and their potential impacts on both human health and the environment by streamlining and improving the former legislative framework on chemicals of the European Union
EU Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC	Foundation of toy safety legislation and enforcement in the European market
FDA Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM)	Preferred laboratory procedures for microbiological analyses of food and cosmetics
Food Chemical Codex (FCC)	Compendium of internationally recognized standards for determining the purity and quality of food ingredients
International Food Standard (IFS)	Evaluation system for all companies supplying retailer-branded food products, and applicable to production, processing of the product and packaging into smaller units in order to provide uniform formulations, uniform audit procedures and mutual acceptance of audits
Japan Pharmacopeia Convention	Defines the standards for specifications as well as the methods of testing in order to ensure overall quality of all drugs in principle; plays a role in clarifying the criteria for quality assurance of drugs that are recognized to be essential for public health and medical treatment in Japan
National General Safety Technical Code for Textile Products (GB 18401)	Standard is intended to control the hazardous substances in textile products, improve textile product quality, ensure basic safety and health, and enforce the general safety and technical specifications for clothes and decorative textiles sold in China
Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive	Restricts the use of six hazardous materials in the manufacture of various types of electronic and electrical equipment
Standard Methods for Dairy Products (APHA)	Methodology designed for regulatory, industrial and commercial laboratories that need to assess the safety and quality of dairy products
Standard Methods for Food (APHA)	Methodology designed for regulatory, industrial and commercial laboratories that need to assess the safety and quality of dairy products
Standard Methods for Water, Waste Water (APHA)	Methodology designed for regulatory, industrial and commercial laboratories that need to assess the safety and quality of water and waste water
U.S. Pharmacopeia Convention	Standards for the identity, strength, quality and purity of medicines, food ingredients and dietary supplements manufactured, distributed and consumed worldwide; enforceable in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration and developed and relied upon in more than 140 countries

RELATED SERVICES

Advisory Services

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THIS SERVICE APPLIES TO: Appliances and HVAC Dietary Supplements Food and Beverage Medical and Laboratory OTC and Pharmaceuticals Personal Care and Beauty Premiums, Promotional and Licensed Goods Textiles, Apparel and Footwear Toys and Juvenile Products

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Medical and Laboratory