In an earlier post, we discussed that analytical testing is a critical piece of the product development puzzle and what it is. This post will cover why it’s important when developing product formulations for a range of industries, including agchem, antimicrobials, coatings and more. The reasons boil down to product quality, safety and compliance.
“Analytical testing is very important to formulation development, and sometimes people overlook the significance of the testing,” said Victoria Maskule, one of our analytical chemists. “Without it, it would be difficult to advance your formulation to commercialization. From the very beginning, analytical testing ensures the substance is what it’s supposed to be. Testing throughout the development process provides consistency and validation, as well as supports data needs for safety and regulatory compliance.”
Verifying product quality
There are several areas of product quality that analytical testing can assess. The first and perhaps most important is verifying that the components that are supposed to be present in a product are actually present and in the quantities they claim to be. For products to perform as expected, it is critical that the correct ingredients and amounts are present in the compound. In addition, analytical testing can be used to validate the product meets market expectations.
Purity is another important test. To protect product safety and performance, the formulation must be free of unwanted substances, which can include contaminants and degradation components. Other types of purity testing include assessing the composition of a compound obtained from a different source. Even though compounds have the same name, there may be differences in composition, such as unexpected additives, based on where it is sourced.
Analytical testing also helps determine the shelf life and stability of products. This is an important test for companies that want their products to perform at maximum for a number of years after production. Stability testing involves evaluating physical, chemical and microbiological properties.
Ensuring formulation safety
Analytical testing is important for establishing the safety of the formulation, as well as uncovering any performance issues. By ensuring the formulation composition from the start, you improve your chances of avoiding product recalls or performance complaints. However, if there are issues with your product, analytical testing can be used to identify the cause(s) of the failure. Testing can help identify the root cause of issues like noxious or unexpected odors, unexpected chemical reactions, stains or residues, and quality failures.
Delivering data for regulatory compliance
Many formulated products are subject to a variety of regulatory or certification requirements before they can be marketed and sold. The data collected from analytical testing provides the necessary detail for regulatory and certification compliance, as well as validation for audits or inspections.
Connect with CJB Applied Technologies for your analytical testing needs
For companies with a deep R&D pipeline or limited staffing expertise, completing the necessary analytical testing can be a challenge. Our team is backed by decades of analytical and formulation experience to help companies fill their testing capacity gaps. In addition, our pilot plant team supports your scale-up needs through commercialization, and if you are experiencing production capacity constraints, they can seamlessly transition your product to our sister company CJB Industries for commercial production.
Are you creating synthetic or biological products and need analytical testing support, such as stability testing, clean out validation, retain evaluation and more? Contact us today. You can tap into any of our services independently of the others – product development, analytical testing, method development, scale up and commercialization needs.
Also, be sure to check back soon or follow us on LinkedIn as we dig into the different types of tests, such as stability testing, and how to develop analytical methods.
