Just the veganning? MSL develops first-ever Vegan Society accredited efficacy test

By Becky Bargh | Published: 15-Jul-2019

In vitro efficacy tests historically have been carried using animal-derived products

UK-based microbiological testing laboratory MSL has developed the first-ever Vegan Society accredited in vitro efficacy test.

The new VeganSure testing solution replaces all animal-derived ingredients with plant or synthetic derivatives.

Under EU regulations, every cosmetics and personal care product on the EU market must have a Cosmetics Product Safety Report (CPSR), which must have a Preservative Efficacy or Challenge Test to ensure its microbiological quality.

Historically, these tests have relied on neutralisers and culture media derived from animal by-products.

“There are roughly 3.5 million vegans in the UK, and the demand for animal-free and cruelty-free beauty and cosmetics products is quickly growing,” said Alex Fotheringham, Operations Director at MSL.

He added: “Over the past two years we have seen an explosion in the number of cosmetic products claiming to be vegan.

“To help support these claims, we have developed a novel and ethical testing solution.”

Just the veganning? MSL develops first-ever Vegan Society accredited efficacy test

Meanwhile, The Vegan Society’s Head of Business Development, Chantelle Adkins, said: “VeganSure marks a major advance in the cosmetics and beauty industry, offering manufacturers and brands of vegan products an alternative way of testing for the very first time.

“The Vegan Society fully supports initiatives that make adopting a vegan lifestyle more accessible - and this new, unique testing solution does just that.”

UK-based regulatory and skin sensitisation testing facility XCellR8 has also omitted animal-derived products from its testing.

Instead, it uses chemically defined media or human platelet lysate.

At the 2018 Cosmetics Business Regulatory Summit XCellR8’s CEO Carol Treasure spoke about the brand’s laboratory.

Read more about what Treasure had to say at the event via the link below.

Join MSL's Ben Elmadi at this year's edition of the Regulatory Summit, he will be informing delegates on the latest in microbiological testing in the vegan & natural market.

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