title: A new protocol for evaluating the efficacy of some dispensing systems of a packaging in the microbial protection of water-based preservative-free cosmetic products.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A new protocol is described for assessing the efficacy of the dispenser of some packaging systems (PSs) of preservative-free cosmetic products in protecting both their contained formula and their delivered doses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Practically, aiming at mimicking contacts with a non-sterile skin or fingers, the dispensing system is put into contact with a pre-contaminated fabric by a standardized colonization of P. aeruginosa.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When applied to three different types of packaging, results show clear differences in both criteria between these conditioning articles, that is variable efficacies in protecting the contained product and the delivered doses, knowing that the first aspect is of paramount importance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proposed protocol is proved being able to discriminate between different PSs and provides information on strong and weak features of certain types dispensing technologies prone to efficiently decrease either the dose contamination or to prevent contamination in reaching the contained product. Therefore, the proposed protocol can contribute to an objective selection of a PS for protecting a cosmetic care product with a low content of preservative or preservative free.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Food Preservation, Department of Food safety and Food Quality, Part of Food2Know, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Devlieghere
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Microbiology and Food Preservation, Department of Food safety and Food Quality, Part of Food2Know, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Loy-Hendrickx
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematical Modeling, Statistics and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rademaker
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematical Modeling, Statistics and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pipelers
authors.affiliation: L'Oréal Research and Innovation, 94550, Chevilly-Larue, France.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Crozier
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematical Modeling, Statistics and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, 9000, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: De Baets
authors.affiliation: L'Oréal Direction Générale des Opérations: Packaging & Development, 93600, Aulnay-sous-bois, France.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Joly
authors.affiliation: L'Oréal Cosmétique Active International: Packaging, 93600, Saint Ouen, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keromen
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria; D003358:Cosmetics; D006801:Humans; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical; D019064:Product Packaging; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D003358:Cosmetics; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical; D014867:Water
keywords: dispensing system; microbiology; packaging; preservation; protection; safety testing; statistics