Certified Laboratories Blog
Insights for the food & beverage, cosmetics, OTC, supplements, and other industries.
Bemotrizinol in the U.S. – Why SPF Product Manufacturers Should Prepare Now
Reviewed and Approved by Matt Traynor, PhD, Vice President, Innovation and Validation, Certified Laboratories 1-Minute Summary Bemotrizinol is under FDA review, with a potential approval decision expected by March 2026. Globally used in sunscreens,...
Dietary Supplement Component Specifications & Testing Explained
Reviewed and Approved by Shelly Blackwell, Sr. Dir. Dietary Supplements & Tobacco Consulting, EAS Consulting Group 1-Minute Summary The FDA continues to cite failure to verify component specifications as a top observation during inspections. ...
Cosmetic Manufacturers Must Prepare for Proposed Ingredient Bans
Reviewed and Approved by Rasha Abueid, R&D Supervisor, Certified Laboratories 1-Minute Summary Pending U.S. federal legislation could ban 18 ingredients and ingredient classes used in cosmetics. The Toxic-Free Beauty Act headlines the bills and would...
Phil Gillespie Named Chief Financial Officer of Certified Group
New CFO to Support Company’s Growth and TIC Market Expansion SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Sept. 8, 2025 – Certified Group today announced the appointment of Phil Gillespie as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). With more than 30 years of experience in corporate finance, Mr....
Why You Must Verify the Active Vitamin C in Your Cosmetic Products
Reviewed and Approved by Matt Traynor, PhD, Vice President, Innovation and Validation, Certified Laboratories 1-Minute Summary Vitamin C is a popular but unstable compound in skincare, requiring accurate content verification to support label claims. In the...
Measurement Uncertainty (MoU) – Why the ± Matters in Analytical Chemistry
Reviewed and Approved by Matt Traynor, PhD, Vice President, Innovation and Validation, Certified Laboratories 1-Minute Summary Measurement Uncertainty (MoU) explains why lab results are reported with a ± range — it's a built-in measure of scientific...
1,4-Dioxane Testing for Cosmetics and Personal Care Products – 0.5 PPM LOD
Reviewed and Approved by Matt Traynor, PhD, Vice President, Innovation and Validation, Certified Laboratories 1-Minute Summary New York state enforces a 1,4-dioxane limit of 10 ppm in cosmetics and 1 ppm in personal care products. USP <467> and...
Detailing the Top Five 21 CFR 111 Compliance Issues for Supplement Manufacturers
Reviewed and Approved by Shelly Blackwell, Senior Director, Dietary Supplement and Tobacco, EAS Consulting Group 1-Minute Summary The FDA’s most common 21 CFR 111 compliance observations involve missing component and finished product specifications, as...
![State Legislation for Heavy Metals in Cosmetics [2025]](https://certified-laboratories.com/wp-content/uploads/cosmetics-in-pink-bag_572508496-400x250.png)
State Legislation for Heavy Metals in Cosmetics [2025]
Reviewed and Approved by Maged Sharaf, Ph.D., Senior Director, Labeling, Cannabis and Claims Consulting Services, EAS Consulting Group 1-Minute Summary There are no U.S. Federal regulations that establish specific limits for heavy metals like lead or...
Understanding Photostability Testing for Cosmetic & OTC Drug Products
Reviewed and Approved by Matilda Baghdasarian, MBA, Associate Director/Safety Officer, Certified Laboratories 1-Minute Summary Photostability testing simulates long-term light exposure to ensure OTC drug products and cosmetics remain safe and effective...
Certified Group at ASTA 2025 Annual Meeting and Exhibits: Ensuring Safety, Quality, & Innovation of Spices
By Jay Alappat, Ph.D, Chief Science Officer – Chemistry, Certified Group The global spice industry continues to grow, driven by increasing consumer demand for bold flavors, clean labels, and high-quality ingredients. However, with this growth comes the...
Tips for Auditing a Contract Lab for Testing Supplements
Reviewed and Approved by Shelly Blackwell, Senior Director, Dietary Supplements and Tobacco, EAS Consulting Group, a Certified Group company 1-Minute Summary Manufacturers should audit a contract lab’s personnel, test methods, equipment, and quality...
How to Substantiate Dietary Supplement Label Claims
Reviewed and Approved by Paula Brock, Ph.D., MSCI, Independent Senior Regulatory & Scientific Consultant, EAS Consulting Group, a Certified Group company 1-Minute Summary Substantiating dietary supplement label claims requires competent, reliable...
How to Test Products Containing Petrolatum
Reviewed and Approved by Matt Traynor, PhD, Innovation and Validation Director, Certified Laboratories Several cosmetic and over-the-counter (OTC) drug products are formulated with petrolatum due to its emollient, protective, and water-resistant properties....
Types of Non-Thermal Process Validation
Non-thermal process validation encompasses a variety of innovative techniques designed to enhance food safety and extend shelf life without relying on traditional heat-based methods. These advanced technologies, ranging from pulsed electric fields to high hydrostatic...
Analytical Method Validation: A Recipe for Accurate Results
Reviewed and Approved by Matt Traynor, PhD, Innovation and Validation Director, Certified Laboratories 1-Minute Summary Method validation ensures testing methods are accurate, consistent, and reliable across different conditions, products, and...
FDA Hyper Focused on Validations and Verifications
Over the last few months of 2024, we saw a significant increase in the U.S. FDA asking our customers for product-specific reports proving that their products were tested on validated analytical test methods. These requests include both official compendial methods such...
FAQ: The FDA’s Revocation of Red Dye 3 for Food and Ingestible Drug Use
Reviewed and Approved by Steven Rogers, Corporate Quality Manager, Certified Group; Lisa El-Shall, Sr. Director of Drug & Device Consulting, EAS Consulting Group; Tim Lombardo, Sr. Director, Food Consulting Services, EAS Consulting Group On Jan. 15, 2025,...
4 Tips for Evaluating Labs for Product-Release & Regulatory Testing
https://youtu.be/2hih1k4FaVQ How to Choose a Testing Lab You Can Trust Choosing the right testing lab is critical to ensuring the safety, quality, and compliance of your products. Whether you’re manufacturing cosmetics, OTC drugs, supplements, or other consumer...
Controlling Heavy Metals in Baby Food: Operations, Regulations, & Testing
Recent studies have shown a significant amount of heavy metals in baby food. Learn how to take preventative measures for manufacturer food testing.