Last year, the International Fragrance Association (IFRA) published a new method to test 57 potentially allergenic fragrances. This was in response to a request by the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), which also proposed a corresponding amendment to the EC regulation No. 1223/2009.

The new analytical method developed by the IFRA Analytical Working Group uses gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to detect and to quantify the 57 fragrance substances of interest and their relevant isomers at concentrations higher than 0.002% (20 mg/kg) in ready-to-inject fragrance materials and oils. This method allows for the screening of complex fragrance mixtures for the presence of chemically defined allergens.

In relation, MilliporeSigma has introduced two ready-to-use certified reference material mixtures suitable for use as calibrants for the new IFRA method. The individual substances of each mixture include different alcohol and carbonyl components, all of which were individually characterized and their contents determined by quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR) spectroscopy.

Read more…