Fifth IFRA Compliance Cycle is All Clear

BRUSSELS, June 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A test sample of 50 fragranced products, chosen at random from a selection of 450 marketed products from ten different countries, found that all fragrance formulations were compliant with the IFRA Code of Practice. The fifth cycle of the IFRA Compliance Program*, covering the period May 2010 to May 2011, did not find any IFRA banned substances in any of the selected products.

The products, which include fine fragrances, body care products and household products were analyzed by an independent body, Eurofins Scientific** and were given the all clear.

Pierre Sivac, IFRA President, said: "This fifth cycle of our Compliance Program has once again demonstrated that the Standards are adhered to by IFRA members and the fragrance industry at large. Our objective at IFRA is to ensure the safety of fragrance products for the consumer and the environment. We look to achieve this by thoroughly researching ingredients through the industry's research center, RIFM*** and by setting industry policy based on the outcome of exhaustive reviews of the results by an independent panel of experts. Our industry has collectively undertaken the responsibility of enacting this Compliance Program to ensure that the IFRA Standards are respected and I am very pleased that the results of this latest cycle show 100% compliance."

Notes to Editors:

*The IFRA Compliance Program focuses on the safety of fragranced consumer products by ensuring that the IFRA Code of Practice is fully adhered to and applied. It involves the analysis of a variety of consumer products for the presence of fragrance ingredients regulated by IFRA Standards. The product analysis is defined in specific procedures and is executed completely independently by Eurofins Scientific, a leading international group of laboratories following strict internal procedures to ensure confidentiality and impartiality.

The products are selected at random from the different categories - fragrance, cosmetics and toiletries and household and detergents - from ten randomly selected IFRA member countries each year.

The Compliance Program is an integral part of the IFRA Code of Practice, which is a comprehensive document that supports the IFRA commitment to provide products that are safe for use by the consumer and to the environment.

The Code of Practice applies to the manufacture and handling of all fragrance materials, for all types of applications and contains the full set of IFRA Standards. Abiding by the IFRA Code of Practice is a prerequisite for all fragrance supplier companies that are members of IFRA (either directly or through national associations). The majority of client companies (including producers of toiletries and household products) expect their fragrances to comply with IFRA Standards as set out in the Code.

Amendments to the Code, if required, are issued annually, based on new scientific developments. These contain either new usage restrictions or revisions of existing usage restrictions.

The IFRA Code of Practice is distributed worldwide and is in the hands of all member associations and their member companies, in addition to governmental regulatory bodies and many other stakeholders. It is also available to all on our website: http://www.ifraorg.org

** Eurofins Scientific is a leading international group of laboratories providing a range of testing and support services to the pharmaceutical, food, environmental and consumer products industries as well as governments. They have 8000 employees across 150 sites in 29 countries. For more details go to: http://www.eurofins.com

***The science behind the IFRA Code of Practice comes from the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM), formed in 1966 to analyze, evaluate and distribute scientific data, cooperate with official agencies and encourage safety standards for the use of fragrance ingredients.

All scientific findings are evaluated by an independent Expert Panel. The Panel is an internationally known group of experts in dermatology, pathology, toxicology, environmental, respiratory, and reproductive sciences. The Panel advises RIFM on strategic approach, reviews protocols and evaluates all of RIFM's scientific findings. Its evaluations are used by IFRA to develop the IFRA Standards. For more information about RIFM or the Expert Panel go to http://www.rifm.org or email http://[email protected]

SOURCE IFRA