We all want to use high-performing products with safe ingredients. It's natural to feel confident when we see a list of familiar, harmless-sounding ingredients on a product label. However, ingredients lists only tell half the story. Even the safest ingredients can become unsafe due to contamination or adulteration. They can get tainted during sourcing or processing, mixed with harmful additives, or interact with other ingredients in product formulas to form unexpected chemicals. So, how can we truly know if a product is safe? The answer lies in product testing. Let’s take a closer look at why product testing matters and how it serves as the true barometer of product safety.
How Do Products Get Contaminated?
From sourcing raw materials to packaging and distribution, ingredients and products can become contaminated during various stages of the production process. Understanding these potential sources of contamination is crucial for ensuring product safety and quality. Here are some different ways products can become contaminated with harmful chemicals throughout their lifecycle.
Raw Ingredients
Natural sources and environmental factors can introduce contaminants into raw ingredients before they even reach the manufacturing facility.
Heavy metals, such as arsenic, cadmium, and lead, can be present in soil due to geological processes. They also contaminate raw materials due to human activities like mining and industrial emissions. These metals can be absorbed by plants, potentially contaminating raw materials (like botanicals) used in personal care products [1].
Additionally, air and water pollution can deposit harmful substances onto crops, including PFAS and microplastics [2].
Manufacturing
During the manufacturing process, products can become contaminated through contact with machinery and equipment. Heavy metals from wear and tear of metal parts can transfer into the product [3].
Also, petroleum-based lubricants used for machine maintenance may inadvertently mix with the product, introducing unwanted chemicals.
Lastly, cleaning supplies used in production facilities can cause contamination of products that come into contact with cleaned surfaces.
Packaging
Packaging materials themselves can be a source of contamination. Many food packaging materials contain chemicals like bisphenols (e.g., BPA) and phthalates. These chemicals can leach into the product over time [4].
Also, many products are packaged in containers that block the sun. Some UV blockers used in product packaging can leach into products.
This is particularly concerning when products are exposed to heat or stored for extended periods. The migration of these chemicals from packaging to products can pose potential health risks, including endocrine disruption and increased cancer risk.
Adulteration
Imagine buying a jar of honey only to discover it's mostly corn syrup with just a hint of real honey. That's adulteration – when companies secretly add cheaper ingredients to their products while claiming they're pure.
A prime example of adulteration in personal care products involves essential oils, particularly lavender oil. Pure lavender oil is expensive to produce. So, manufacturers might adulterate pure lavender oil with synthetic fragrances or cheaper oils to cut costs while maintaining the desired scent profile. Sometimes, companies don’t even know that the ingredients they are using for their products have been adulterated.
Chemical Reactions
Ingredients in products can interact with one another, which can cause other chemicals to form. For example, the use of certain preservatives or the combination of ingredients can lead to the formation of new, potentially harmful chemical compounds.
These reactions are unintentional and can be caused by various factors, including heat, moisture, or just due to chemistry. That’s why a product should be tested after it’s been created.
Temperature Changes
Temperature fluctuations during transportation and storage can significantly impact product safety. High temperatures during shipping can accelerate chemical reactions and increase the leaching of contaminants from packaging materials.
Heat is also a conductor of change. It can cause ingredients in a formula that are safe when in a stable temperature to interact with one another and become unsafe under hot conditions.
These concerns apply to both raw ingredients before production and finished products post-production. Even how consumers store products at home can affect contamination levels, as improper storage conditions can lead to chemical changes or microbial growth.
Product Toxicity Testing: The Only Beacon of Truth
In a world where we increasingly prioritize the safety and effectiveness of the products we use, product toxicity testing emerges as the only true beacon of truth.
We have tested 67 products, including some that we felt confident recommending based on their ingredient lists. However, we were shocked to discover that many contained contaminants and adulterants that could compromise safety.
These findings underscore the critical need for rigorous testing beyond just effectiveness and overall safety. It highlights the importance of assessing environmental health safety as well.
Every day, we apply these products to our bodies, exposing ourselves to a constant burden of chemicals. With so many potential sources of contamination, from raw ingredients to packaging materials, it’s essential to seek safer alternatives that are easily accessible.
Right now, there aren't rigorous laws that require manufacturers or brands to check products for contamination from harmful chemicals. The current way of testing only looks at each ingredient by itself, which doesn't tell us what happens when they are used to create products. Not to mention, there aren’t strict laws requiring the testing of ingredients, either. This means people might buy things that aren't safe.
We must advocate for comprehensive product testing to ensure that what we use in our daily lives is not only effective but also safe for our health and the environment. Supporting initiatives like the Million Marker Research Institute (MMRI) can help drive this change, promoting safer products for everyone.
Non-Targeted Product Testing for Environmental Chemicals
Gone are the days when we had to rely solely on ingredient lists or limited testing methods to understand what's truly in our personal care products. While ingredients provide valuable information, they only tell half the story.
Even targeted testing, which looks for specific chemicals, can leave us in the dark about unexpected contaminants or adulterants. This is where non-targeted product testing for environmental chemicals comes in. It shines a light on both the expected and the unforeseen.
At MMRI, we're pioneering this comprehensive approach to product safety. We're currently applying non-targeted testing to invisible orthodontics and diaper rash creams, uncovering a wealth of information about their chemical composition.
This method allows us to detect a wide range of substances, including those we might not have thought to look for. It's a game-changer in product safety assessment, offering a more complete picture of what we're really putting on and in our bodies.
But we need your support to continue this crucial work. By contributing to MMRI, you're helping to advance product safety and empowering consumers with the knowledge they need to make informed choices about the products they use every day.
Resources
[1] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7335825/
[2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10440945/
[3] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4113876/
[4] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7934580/