The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has unveiled the findings from its comprehensive 2023 examination, dedicated to scrutinizing talc-infused cosmetic items for potential asbestos contamination. Employing advanced techniques such as Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), the FDA meticulously analyzed 50 samples throughout the year. Encouragingly, no traces of asbestos were detected in any of the tested products.
In a strategic move, AMA Analytical Services, Inc. (AMA) was entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the tests, owing to its proven proficiency in asbestos analysis. Boasting accreditation for analyzing asbestos in bulk materials via the National Institute of Standards and Technology's National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NIST-NVLAP), AMA has been a trusted partner of the FDA in talc-related evaluations since 2018.
The selection process for cosmetic products underwent rigorous scrutiny, with the FDA meticulously handpicking items for testing. Various criteria, including product type, price range, social media and advertisement popularity, products geared towards children and women of color, and any prior reports hinting at asbestos contamination, guided the selection process.
For those interested in delving deeper into the FDA's past findings on talc, a repository of previous sampling results is available on the FDA's Talc webpage. Aligning with the mandates outlined in the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulations Act of 2022 (MoCRA), the FDA is poised to introduce proposed regulations aimed at standardizing testing methodologies to detect and identify asbestos in talc-containing cosmetic products.
