A major facet of quality control in cosmetics is testing for bacteria, yeast and mold, and pathogens, including: S. aureus, Salmonella, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, Clostridia, and C. albicans. USP methods, the same as for pharmaceutical products, are used to test the raw materials and/or the finished product for microbial contamination.
Raw material qualification for purity of ingredients using a variety of compendial methods including: USP/NF, JP, EP, CTFA, AOAC, FCC, ACS, and ASTM.