Understanding Specialized EN Tests for Different Product Formats
When developing biocidal products, it’s crucial to recognise that product format significantly influences efficacy. Specialized European Norm (EN) tests are designed to assess various formats—such as fogging disinfectants and wipes—to ensure they perform effectively in real-world applications.
Fogging Disinfectants: EN 17272 Testing
For fogging and mist-based disinfectants, EN 17272 is the standard that evaluates airborne room disinfection using automated processes.
Test Setup:
- Dispersing the disinfectant in a controlled environment to assess its ability to reduce microbial contamination on surfaces.
Why It Matters:
- Ensures fogging disinfectants achieve desired microbial reduction, validating their effectiveness in decontaminating spaces.
Disinfectant Wipes: EN 16615 Testing
Disinfectant wipes present unique challenges due to potential interactions between the active substances and the wipe material.
Material Interaction:
- Many wipes are made from cellulose-based fibres, which are anionic (negatively charged). Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs), such as ADBAC and DDAC, are cationic (positively charged). Electrostatic attraction can cause actives to bind to the wipe material, reducing available biocidal activity.
- Formulation Consideration: Formulators often use an excess of QACs to compensate, ensuring enough active remains available for disinfection.
- Test Method: EN 16615 uses a standard four-field test method to evaluate wipe efficacy on surfaces.
Why It Matters:
- Ensures product remains effective despite interactions with the wipe material.
Importance of Specialized Testing
Selecting the appropriate EN test is essential to validate the efficacy of a biocidal product in its intended format. Specialized testing accounts for factors such as material interactions, application methods, and regulatory compliance, ensuring the product performs effectively and meets BPR standards.
Biocidal Hand Soap Testing – What You Really Need for an Antibacterial Claim
If you’re formulating an antibacterial hand soap, you might think you need to go all out with biocidal testing—but you don’t always have to.
Minimum Testing Needed for an Antibacterial Claim:
EN 1276 – Bactericidal Activity:
- This test checks if your soap kills bacteria at a 50% dilution.
- It’s a suspension test to determine whether it achieves a 3-log reduction (99.9%) of bacteria.
EN 1499 – Hygienic Handwash:
- An in vivo test comparing your product to a standard reference soap.
- Conducted with human participants: hands are artificially contaminated with bacteria, washed with the test soap, and bacterial reduction is measured.
- To pass, your soap must demonstrate significantly better reduction than traditional hand soap.
If You Need Full Biocidal Claims (including fungicidal or virucidal activity), You’ll Also Need:
- EN 13624 – Yeasticidal/Fungicidal Activity
- EN 14476 – Virucidal Activity
**Regulatory Tip:
If you can frame your product with a secondary cosmetic claim “antibacterial,” you might be able to keep it under cosmetic regulations—avoiding costly BPR compliance
