Cosmetics & Personal Care

MilliporeSigma launches fragrance allergen test calibrants

Last year, the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) published a new method to test 57 potentially allergenic fragrances. This was in response to a request by the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), which also proposed a corresponding amendment to the EC regulation No. 1223/2009.

The new analytical method developed by the IFRA Analytical Working Group uses gas chromato­graphy and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to detect and to quantify the 57 fragrance substances of interest and their relevant isomers at concentr­ations higher than 0.​002% (20 mg/​kg) in ready-to-inject fragrance materials and oils. This method allows for the screening of complex fragrance mixtures for the presence of chemically defined allergens.

In relation, Millipor­eSigma has introduced two ready-to-use certified reference material mixtures suitable for use as calibrants for the new IFRA method. The individual substances of each mixture include different alcohol and carbonyl components, all of which were individually characterized and their contents determined by quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR) spectroscopy.

qNMR allows for the direct comparison of signal intensities of an analyte and an internal reference standard. The individual qNMR certific­ations were all performed following the well-established qualification workflow developed in Buchs, Switzerland, following the ISO/​IEC 17025 accredit­ation.

The raw materials were then gravimet­rically dissolved and diluted following the ISO 17034 accreditation workflow. The solutions were filled in ampules, and the process controlled through homogeneity testing by GC-MS. Each product certificate contains the lot number, a hard expiry date, intended use, accreditation stamps and signatures of the chemist responsible for its production and release.

With these two ready-to-use standard calibration sets, fragrance manufacturers and testing labs are provided with a reliable, high-quality product suitable for the new IFRA method.