Do small home businesses actually have all their products lab tested?

by Heather
(Colorado Springs)

Hi,

I am starting a small business (nearly ready to open my site!) and the more that I learn the more I hear about the darn FDA!

I understand about being very careful with any products you make and sell. Making sure ALL ingredients are listed for customers from greatest to least, allergy concerns, warnings if any, and carefully wording everything you say about your products.

But what I want to know is about lab testing products. How do small business afford the pricy testing per products? Is there some where cheap? Or is there a loop hole to this? Like saying not FDA Approved. I'm just trying to know what actual businesses do or think about this subject before I dive into the actual FDA rules. And is there any products that don't have to be lab tested?

I am eager to know anything you can share on this :)

Answer:

Hi Heather,

Being Canadian, I don't know all that much about the FDA's regulations but I've found a page on the FDA's site that should be helpful....Is It a Cosmetic, a Drug, or Both? (Or is it Soap?)

From what I can gather, unless you make claims that place your product into the drug category, you do not need to have your products tested.

I sincerely doubt that many small homebased businesses can afford to have each batch of lotion or soap sent off to the local lab. The cost would be insane.

Hope the link helps,
Cathy

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Do small home businesses actually have all their products lab tested?

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by: Barbara

From the forums I've attended, it seems that anything that contains water should be tested. I checked into a lab ( Texas Natural Supply has a sister company that is a testing lab)and they charge a whopping $350.00 for ONE LOTION BATCH! If you use premixed bases for lotions (which I hate to do because I LOVE making my own) you're covered because they produce their own bases and they test prior to marketing. The $350 includes a Certificate of Acceptance. Ugh, I agree Cathy, it IS INSANE! Someone once told me if you put on your label "Not laboratory tested" you'd be semi safe. However, make sure you use a preservative in your products. Texas Natural Supply offers a "Natural Preservative" called Tinosan and it's used in combination with Potassium Sorbate. If you don't want to go that route, try something like Optiphen PLUS..it's a broad sprectrum preservative and it doesn't have a smell like LiquiPar or Germaben or Germall. The point of the lab is to get an aerobic plate (for microorganisms) done and certified. You might want to visit other forums here in the States like Wholesale Supplies Plus..that's where I learned of the testing. I purchase my natural products from Texas Natural Supply and they're pretty helpful in answering questions. I will say they told me "you have a legal and moral obligation to be tested".
Hope this answers your questions. Too bad we don't like in Canada, huh? :)
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by: Heather

Thank you very much for your helpful info...to both you Cathy and Barbra. This definitely gives me something to think about and what directions to consider!

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