Preservative Usage and pH Adjustment

It is crucial for preservatives to function within their recommended pH range to be effective. Different preservatives have different optimal pH ranges.

• NaturePreserve™ Ultra works best in a pH range of 3-6.
• Mild Preserved CGZ™ is effective in a wider pH range of 4-9.
• Global Guard™ 221 is suitable for formulas with a pH between 2-7.

Adjusting pH Before Adding Preservative:

Yes, it is generally best practice to adjust the pH of your product base to be within the effective range of the chosen preservative before adding the preservative. This ensures that the preservative is active from the moment it is incorporated into the formulation, providing immediate protection against microbial growth.

Adjusting pH After Formulation/Curing:

If you check the pH after the product has been formulated and find it is outside the preservative's effective range, you can adjust the pH downwards (if too high) or upwards (if too low) to bring it into the correct range. Once the pH is within the recommended range, the preservative that was added should become active. However, if the product was left for a period with the pH outside the effective range, there is a risk that microbial contamination or growth may have already occurred during that time.

It is generally not recommended to simply add more preservative after adjusting the pH without conducting a challenge test to confirm that the formulation is adequately preserved. The original amount of preservative, if now within its active pH range, should provide preservation, but its efficacy needs to be verified in the final product. Relying on post-adjustment without re-testing carries a risk.

Therefore, while post-adjustment is possible, ensuring the correct pH before adding the preservative is the most reliable method for effective preservation from the start.