article

Expert view: Mitigating risk with modern microbial identifications

2
SHARES

Posted: 28 October 2020 | | No comments yet

Species-level microbial identification (ID) is a growing requirement under good manufacturing practice (GMP) to ensure patient safety.

Over the last few years, there have been many product recalls associated with fungal contamination. Of these, few had associated species-level IDs, compared with bacterial contamination recalls of which most had a species ID.

In the past, microbiologists may have been limited in their ability to provide an accurate species-level ID. Even now, many quality control (QC) labs still use macroscopy and microscopy to identify any fungal isolates from their facilities. With the complexity of their microscopic structures, it is no wonder that fungal ID using this technique requires training and years of experience and remains unreliable.

 

Reserve your FREE place

 


Are you looking to explore how lipid formulations in softgels can enhance drug absorption and bioavailability. Register for our upcoming webinar to find out!

3 September 2025 | 3:00 PM BST | FREE Webinar

This webinar will delve into the different types of lipid formulations, such as solutions, suspensions, emulsions, and self-(micro)emulsifying systems. Applications span diverse therapeutic areas including HIV therapy, oncology, immunosuppressants, and emerging treatments like medicinal cannabis (eg, CBD).

What You’ll Learn:

  • Lipid formulation development and screening tools for optimisation
  • Key steps in scale-up and industrialisation to ensure consistency and efficiency
  • Impact of lipid-based softgels on drug delivery and patient outcomes.

Don’t miss your chance to discover more – Register Now – It’s Free!

 

There are commercial systems available to aid in fungal ID but often these are limited by the technology itself
(eg, phenotypic systems have long been recognised as less accurate and precise than genotypic systems by the US Food and Drug Administration [FDA]). In recent years, MALDI-TOF has become increasingly commonplace as it provides a reliable method for identifying microorganisms. However, all ID systems rely on a library that is used to compare the result and generate the ID. If something is not in that library, there may be no ID or, perhaps even worse, an incorrect ID and subsequent incorrect assessment of risk. This seems to be an area often overlooked; yet it should be evaluated per USP (1113) and EP (5.1.6) guidance.

While some microbiologists might see newer technologies as a loss of skills, but the real skill does not come from generating the ID; it comes from understanding the impact that the species will have on their production process or product. This knowledge adds real impact and allows for proactive decision making. This not only ensures patient safety but also adds financial benefits to the manufacturer through prevention of interventions or batch scrappage.

Share via
Share via