Picking the right preservative or protection system

 The challenges involved with selection of an appropriate preservative system are clear. The options available to protect the integrity of a finished formulation require profound expertise as formulators need to ensure they are meeting all other required criteria, foremost protecting the consumer’s health against the risks of inappropriately preserved formulations.

Considerations

When meeting the emotional needs of customers, what also must be considered are the desires of the formulator and his or her company. A formulating chemist may have preferred preservatives which they choose to use in a formulation. They may be inclined to use ones which have showed good antimicrobial results in previous formulations, ones that best suit their price point or ones that meet environmental requirements. Some companies prefer formulating with traditional preservatives, such as isothiazolinones, formaldehydereleasers, parabens, IPBC, and other synthetic blends, while other companies prefer the choice of a more natural formulation, and use a natural or nature-identical preservative system. Sustainability is also becoming a key factor that is taken into account during the selection of an antimicrobial system, where there is a desire for formulators to use preservative systems that are biodegradable. Formulators may encounter some road blocks if they choose to select a ‘greener’ preservative. Natural preservatives often come with environmental implications where the byproducts linger after disposal, adding just another challenging element in selection.