NJ Labs urges manufacturers to conduct TOC water testing analysis

Production line for bottled water. Image courtesy of NJ Labs

NJ Labs (New Brunswick, NJ) is urging manufacturers of food, beverage, cosmetic, nutraceutical, and over-the-counter (OTC) or pharmaceutical products to conduct total organic carbon (TOC) water testing analysis to avoid FDA warning letters or regulatory action. This comes after FDA reprimanded two firms for failing to validate that its water system “consistently produced water suitable for its intended use.”

“Real-time water-quality insights can help manufacturers mitigate risk of product contamination, minimize product loss and costly fines, and decrease operating costs,” said Sandra Lee, CEO of NJ Labs, in a press release. “The basics of the water used to clean, rinse, as well as to be used in production is very critical to the function of any manufacturer. TOC water testing analysis is more accurate than using other tools for determining equipment cleanliness prior to sterilization. By using TOC analysis, plant supervisors can better understand their carbon loading to ensure water quality is continually optimal and free of organic contamination, which in turn helps the facility minimize the risk of financial loss and product recall.”

TOC water testing analysis is a technique that determines water purity. According to NJ Labs, TOC analyzers measure the amount of organic, inorganic, or total carbon in water samples by oxidizing the organic compound into a form that can be quantified. Oxidizing organic carbon produces CO2, which can then be measured and converted into a TOC value or measurement. NJ Labs uses the state-of-the-art Fusion Analyzer from Teledyne Tekmar.

Different industries must adhere to different standards for acceptable water purity in final goods and water utilized in manufacturing. As such, water systems must be adequately designed, controlled, maintained, and monitored to ensure they are consistently producing water for their intended use.