• USP 51 - Antimicrobial Effectiveness Test


    This Vegan friendly edition of United States Pharmacopeia(USP) test is most commonly used for products sold in the United States but is recognised worldwide.

    Unlike a traditional USP Antimicrobial effectiveness test, this adaptation uses animal free products and is approved by The Vegan Society.

  • The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) differs to the traditional European Pharmacopoeia method with the addition of an extra microorganism culture, E. coli. 

    During this antimicrobial effectiveness test, the testing is conducted at 7, 14 and 28 days compared to the traditional European Pharmacopoeia (EP) method where testing is conducted at 2, 7, 14 and28-days. This does make the USP test method less stringent but if you are planning on selling your product within the United States of America this is the minimum required test. 

Vegan challenge testing

Vegan USP testing

This Vegan version of the USP Preservative Efficacy Test (PET) or cosmetic challenge test, is essential for assessing the safety of cosmetic products susceptible to spoiling, such as those which require preservation or that contain water. This test method uses vegan alternatives to the traditional test methods which has also been certified by The Vegan Society.

According to the EU Cosmetic Products Regulation, for these cosmetic products it is a legal requirement to include the results of a challenge test in the Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR) before they can be sold.

The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) test is most commonly used for products sold in the United States but is recognised worldwide.

United States Pharmacopeia (USP)

'USP 51 - Antimicrobial Effectiveness Test'

Sometimes referred to as USP 51 or 'USP Challenge test'

It is a Preservative Efficacy Test (PET) that is adapted to cosmetic products to ensure they are safe for consumers in the United States.

Certificate of Registration

To view our copy of The Vegan Society 'Certificate of Registration' for ISCA, please download below.

Download Certificate
  • EP USP ISO
    UK
    EU
    USA
    World
  • When selling cosmetic products, it is crucial to comply with the regulatory requirements of the country in which the product is being sold. For cosmetics, the quality and safety standards are typically determined by one of three major standards: the European Pharmacopoeia (EP), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), or the United States Pharmacopeia (USP).

    Each of these organisations sets different standards for product testing and quality control, so it is important to choose the appropriate standard for the country in which you are selling your product. For example, if you are selling your product in Europe, you may need to comply with EP standards, while products sold in the US may need to meet USP standards.

    We can offer Vegan Society certified version of the EP, USP and ISO 11930 challenge test methods.