Integrity invests in quality equipment
is at stake if affected ingredients make their way into consumer
products. Integrity Nutraceuticals is one company that has taken a
further step in ensuring contaminated materials do not slip through
the net, with the acquisition of Centrus' Soleris 128 rapid optical
system.
The company has said that the new equipment will enable its microbiology lab to test incoming ingredients and raw materials for contamination of microorganisms more quickly and accurately than it could before.
The system monitors pH and other biochemical reactions that result in color change as the microorganisms grow and metabolize, using photo detection, assays and Windows software.
VP Tim Romero said that conventional microbial tests often delivered results with a large margin of error. The new machine will "take the guesswork out of [Integrity's] quality assurance processes.
Moreover company anticipates that it will speed up the testing process, making manufacturing more efficient and increasing production capacity.
"In our industry's just-in-time ordering culture timeliness is essential," said Romero.
The likelihood that the final good manufacturing guidelines will be published next year - almost 12 years after the passing of the Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of which they form part - means that many companies are shoring up their systems.
Canada's KGK Synergize announced this week that its laboratory facility and a toxicity study have been audited by the Standards Council of Canada, which has granted GLP (good laboratory practice) accreditation.
KGK said that endorsement of the company's ability to properly conduct clinical studies is important when submitting to regulatory boards like the FDA or Health Canada.
