Arch Personal Care launches preservation systems.

ARCH PERSONAL CARE has introduced two new globally approved patent pending systems, Mikrokill PCC and Mikrokill COS and re-introduced two existing products, Biovert and Cosmocil CQ, which recently became part of the company's new preservation product portfolio when Arch Chemicals acquired Avecia in 2004.

According to Steve Hinden, director of commercial development, the paraben cancer controversy has alarmed many personal care companies and has opened the doors to consideration of alternative preservation systems.

"In response, we researched and developed Mikrokill PCC and Mikrokill COS which is a patent pending broadspectrum preservative system and approved for use in the U.S., Europe and Japan. Both systems are paraben-, formaldehyde- and isothiazolone-free," said Mr. Hinden.

"In addition the Biovert System is a highly unique natural enzyme system that mimics the body's natural defense mechanism and Cosmocil CQ is a unique polymeric cationic system with an outstanding safety profile."

Mr. Hinden said there has been increasing concern about safety and avoidance of ingredients that have an unfavorable connotation in the trade and consumer press. Morever, there is an equal level of concern with preservatives that donate or liberate formaldehyde and isothiazolones. Despite these issues, Mr. Hinden insisted that Arch has the infrastructure to meet the demands of costactic formulators.

"As a unit of Arch Chemical Inc., we have access to the parent company's world class technical center in Cheshire CT," he told Happi. "We have re-directed part of the technical expertise in industrial biocides and anti-dandruff ingredients to the development of new preservation systems for the personal care market. This has worked out very well and we are starting to make an impact on this market."