Research Institute for Fragrance Materials uses BlueScreen HC technology to screen perfume ingredients

International scientific authority for the safe use of fragrance materials, Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM), has announced the addition of BlueScreen HC technology to its genotoxicity profiling regime.

RIFM is a non-profit research institute that was set up to collect and analyse scientific data, test, evaluate, and distribute data, cooperate with official agencies and encourage uniform safety standards regarding the use of ingredients in the making of perfumes.

In order to reach the goal of uniform safety standards, the authority is using innovations in risk assessment methodology.

BlueScreen HC is one such technology that provides accurate and sensitive results that are integrated into RIFM’s testing cascade and enable more efficient fragrance material evaluation.

The human cell based assay, BlueScreen HC, is used to screen chemicals that can potentially damage human DNA.

RIFM along with the originators of BlueScreen HC, Gentronix, are working together to evaluate the fragrance materials for use in a range of consumer products.

Research Institute for Fragrance Materials president Dr. David Wilcox said, "We found BlueScreen™ HC to be a very useful tool in our fragrance material evaluation process."

Gentronix commercial director Dr. Steve Beasley said, "We have been impressed with the scientific rigor that RIFM brings to the safety evaluation of fragrance materials and their assessment of new technologies such as BlueScreen HC. We look forward to continuing this important collaboration."

The assay evaluates the up-regulation of a key gene’s, GADD45a, response to a chemical that causes damage to or interferes with DNA.

It measures the luminescence generated from the enzyme Gaussia Luciferase from the marine crustacean Gaussia princeps.

The gene is incorporated into the human TK6 cells used in the assay and linked to GADD45a production.

Pharmaceutical industry is already using the technology to provide a fast evaluation of potential dangers while testing a range of chemicals during product development.