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Antimicrobials Test Methods

FAQ - Antimicrobial Test Methods

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Q: What are Industrial Standardized Test Methods?

A: Industrial standardization is an historical creation that has allowed industries to apply best practices in harmonizing the criteria by which their products can be made.  The standards allow for manufacturing to known degrees of accuracy and interchangeability.  This has expanded to include an enormous range of test criteria for nearly all products created for and used in industry and by consumers.  Microbiological test standards include ASTM, AATCC, JIS, AOAC, ISO, TAPPI, MIL-STD and others.

For antimicrobial products, the standardized testing are a series of microbiological based assays that integrate, as much as possible, the use conditions for a given product.  Importantly, all standardized test methods need to be accurately reproducible to be of benefit for both the manufacturer and customer. 

Lab testing standardization is an excellent method for serving basic needs across industry, there are natural limitations to standardized microbiological testing due to the diverse nature of a product and its intended use.

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Q: Why is Standardized Testing Used?

A: Industrial Standards represent the best way to provide performance comparisons across an industry, independent of the site where the test is performed.  Because of a long history of proven reliability, regulatory agencies such as the EPA, accept these methods as evidence for valid product testing.  

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Q: Is there a standardized test best for a given product?

A: Difficult question to precisely answer.  It is best to assess both formulation needs and the regulatory needs of a product first and then devise an appropriate validation and certification plan for a specific products performance needs.

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FAQ - Antimicrobial Testing Overview

Fit for Purpose High-Throughput Testing

High-Throughput testing can bridge the gap between screening and productive results.

 

Agencies Providing Standardized Test Methods

AATCC - Textiles testing for industrial and consumer products.

ASTM - General Industrial and consumer products applications

AOAC - Manufacturing and industrial applications for food and food contact.

JIS - Industrial and consumer products.

TAPPI - Pulp and paper manufacturing and consumer products.

MIL STD - Military Standard testing for extreme product environments.