On July 21, 2026, the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC) opened two standards for public comment — Determination of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Cosmetics and Determination of Ethanol and Other 39 Kinds of Components in Cosmetics. The two standards specify the relevant test methods, improve the technical support system for cosmetic testing, and further safeguard the safe use of cosmetics. CIRS Group has compiled and summarized the main contents below for your reference.
Determination of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Cosmetics (Draft for Comment)
Scope
This standard specifies the test method for Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cosmetics.
This standard applies to the testing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cosmetics.
Relationship with Existing Relevant Standards in China
Current test methods for Pseudomonas aeruginosa in China mainly include the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China and GB 8538-2022 (National Food Safety Standard — Methods of Test for Drinking Natural Mineral Water).
Table 1 — List of Major Relevant Domestic Standards
| No. | Country/Organization | Standard No. | Standard Name | Scope/Applicable Matrix | Relationship to the Standard Under Revision |
| 1 | State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) | GB 8538-2022 | National Food Safety Standard — Methods of Test for Drinking Natural Mineral Water | Food | Not equivalent |
| 2 | Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission | / | Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China | Pharmaceuticals | Not equivalent |
Comparison with the Original Method in the Standards
Table 2 — Comparison with the Original Method
| No. | Original Method | Revised | Reason for Revision |
| 1 | Definition: belongs to the genus Pseudomonas; Gram-negative bacilli; oxidase positive; able to produce pyocyanin. It can also liquefy gelatin, reduce nitrate to nitrite, and grow at 42±1 °C. | Definition: belongs to the genus Pseudomonas; Gram-negative bacilli; oxidase positive; able to grow at 42±1 °C. Most can produce pyocyanin. | Not all Pseudomonas aeruginosa exhibit typical biochemical characteristics. |
| 2 | No strain specified | A positive quality-control strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa is added. | To be consistent with the microbiological standards of the General Rules, Staphylococcus aureus, and thermotolerant coliform bacteria. |
| 3 | Cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (cetrimide) agar medium | Revised to the CN agar medium formula. | The original formula is revised to be consistent with GB 8538-2022 |
| 4 | Incubate on cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide agar medium for 24±2 h | Revised to incubate for 24–48 h | Major domestic and international P. aeruginosa test standards such as GB 8538-2022 and ISO specify 24–48 h; the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and USP specify 18–72 h. As some P. aeruginosa strains show weak fluorescence and light pigmentation, extending the incubation time allows full expression and prevents missed detection. The original 24 h limit is retained; if a positive result is obtained within 24 h, detection may be reported directly. |
| 5 | / | A purification step is added after isolation culture, followed by biochemical identification. | In accordance with General Chapter 9204 of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, which requires that “the first step of microbial identification is the isolation and purification of the test culture”, a purification step is added to remove interference from mixed flora and improve the accuracy of biochemical identification results. |
| 6 | / | Added: “Where a biochemical identification kit or a microbial identification system is used, identification may be performed according to the operating instructions of the kit or system.” | In light of developments in identification technology, it is recommended to add kit-based methods and automated identification systems. |
Relevant International Standards
The main international test methods for Pseudomonas aeruginosa are ISO 22717:2015 Cosmetics — Microbiology — Detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and USP <62> Microbiological Examination of Nonsterile Products: Tests for Specified Microorganisms.
Table 3 — List of Major Relevant International Standards
| No. | Country/Organization | Standard No. | Standard Name | Scope/Applicable Matrix | Relationship to the Standard Under Revision |
| 1 | International Organization for Standardization (ISO) | ISO 22717:2015 | Cosmetics — Microbiology — Detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa | Cosmetics | Not equivalent |
| 2 | United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) | USP <62> | Microbiological Examination of Nonsterile Products: Tests for Specified Microorganisms | Pharmaceuticals | Not equivalent |
The format of this method mainly follows that of the microbiological test methods in the Standards, to facilitate reading and use by testing personnel in the cosmetic testing field. Pursuant to the Principles for Determining the Form and Implementation Transition Period of Cosmetic Standards (Trial), it is recommended that the method be incorporated into the Standards, with an implementation transition period of 9 months.
Determination of Ethanol and Other 39 Kinds of Components in Cosmetics (Draft for Comment)
Scope
This method specifies the determination of the content of ethanol and other 39 kinds of components in cosmetics by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
This method is applicable to the qualitative screening and quantitative determination of ethanol and other 39 kinds of components in cream/lotion, liquid (aqueous/oil), gel, powder, and wax-based cosmetics.
For the Chinese names, English names, CAS numbers and other information of the ethanol and other 39 kinds of components covered by this method, see Annex A.
Relationship with Existing Relevant Standards in China
No national or industry standard for this method has been identified to date.
Comparison with the Original Method in the Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics (2015 Edition) (hereinafter “the Standards”)
At present, the methods for the determination of organic solvents in the Standards are “2.32 Dichloromethane and 14 Other Components” and “2.33 Ethanol and 36 Other Components” in Chapter 4 (Physicochemical Test Methods). The two methods partially overlap and together cover 41 organic-solvent components. Among them, 1,4-dioxane is included in “2.19 Determination of 1,4-Dioxane in Cosmetics”, which has already been published. This revision integrates the compounds listed in the two test methods (“2.32” and “2.33”), removes the duplicate components and the already-published 1,4-dioxane, and ultimately determines a total of 40 target compounds, comprising 10 prohibited organic solvents and 30 organic solvents not yet regulated (see Annex A.2 and A.3). This method optimizes the original method in the Standards, with the main revisions as follows:
(1) Integrate the two organic-solvent determination methods in the Standards into a single method;
(2) In the original standards, “2.32” used gas chromatography (GC) and “2.33” used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS); after revision, GC-MS is uniformly used for quantification, and GC-MS together with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) for qualitative analysis;
(3) Establish method detection limits on a reasonable basis. This method may replace the “2.32” and “2.33” test methods contained in the Safety and Technical Standards for Cosmetics (2015 Edition).
Relevant International Standards
No publicly issued international standard on the determination of ethanol and other 39 kinds of components in cosmetics has been identified to date.
The format of this method follows that of the physicochemical test methods in the Standards, to facilitate reference and use by cosmetic testing personnel. Pursuant to the Principles for Determining the Form and Implementation Transition Period of Cosmetic Standards (Trial), it is recommended that the method be incorporated into the Standards, with an implementation transition period of 9 months.
CIRS Reminder
These two draft test methods respectively optimize the microbiological testing procedure for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and integrate and upgrade the testing approach for ethanol and other 39 kinds of components. The new standards unify the testing technical framework and improve the reliability of results, which will support companies' raw-material quality control, finished-product testing, and filing-related testing.
Comments are currently being accepted until August 30, 2026; companies may study and submit feedback based on their own product matrices and raw-material formulations. Meanwhile, it is recommended that companies prepare in advance and, once the standards are officially implemented, promptly adjust their laboratory testing plans and internal quality-control strategies to ensure that testing data remain compliant and valid.
If you need any assistance or have any questions, please get in touch with us via service@cirs-group.com.
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