Final Product Specifications

Having your products specifications nailed down is key to ensuring you get a safe and consistent final product. You will want to have an SOP detailing what your team or manufacturer is to do should an ingredient arrives out of specification. 

Click below and toggle through the different types of specifications you want to ensure you have on your final product. I will show you how to get these specifications later on. For now, get familiar.

I want you to understand the importance of your ingredients specifications.

A product’s specification is the blueprint. This blueprint outlines the product that you will be formulating. It outlines what it is supposed to look like and its specific requirements as well as packaging and storage information.

Your “Spec(s)” needs to be very clear, easy to read and as much information as possible.

It is common practice to have your product sent out to a third party testing lab to receive results  for specification ranges for the finished product. You will set a range within those specs depending on what is acceptable for the product.

For many, the average value measured through analytical testing 2-10% (+ / -) is a good place for a specification range.

You can find all of the instruments needed to measure each of these by taking a look at our SUPPLY LIST.

  • pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of an aqueous solution. This is commonly measured on a scale of 0 to 14.

    A pH of 7 is considered to be neutral. Lower pH values are acidic and those with higher values are alkaline or caustic.

    pH is the most common of the analytical measurements as it plays an important role in processing.

    It is important to measure your products pH so that you can produce products with consistent properties, avoid health problems to consumers and meet regulatory requirements if applicable. Variations in a products pH can impact flavor, quality, consistency, and shelf life.

  • Density matters to manufacturers because it’s linked to a product’s mass and volume. These factors together determine size and buoyancy, which affect a product’s transportation, weight, and usefulness in a given environment.

    Learn more about density by clicking HERE

  • Viscosity is the measure of a substance's resistance to motion under an applied force. This measurement is used to maximize production efficiency and cost effectiveness. It affects the rate at which a product travels through a pipe(s), how long it takes to set or dry (if applicable), and the time it takes to dispense the fluid into packaging. The production process has to be designed with the viscosity of the product in mind, making sure that pipes are angled to optimize flow, or that dispensers provide the right amount of force to induce flow, but not so much that the packaging will overfill.

    Viscosity is also a characteristic of the texture of a substance. A product’s viscosity must be measured and monitored during production to ensure that each batch is consistent and will go through the production process efficiently. If the steps to making a product involves heating or cooling, viscosity impacts that.

    The formula for measuring viscosity is fairly simple:

    viscosity = shear stress / shear rate

    Shear stress is the force per unit area required to move one layer of fluid in relation to another.

    Shear rate is the measure of the change in speed at which intermediate layers move with respect to one another.

  • The Brix value is related to the content of dissolved or soluble solids in a solution, therefore its correlation with density of liquids. The higher the soluble solids or sugar content in a aqueous solution, the higher its specific gravity or density.

    Brix measurements play a large role in determining when wine grapes are at their peak sugar content for harvest. Brix testing can also be used with other forms of produce to determine the sugar, mineral, protein and amino acid concentration of the plant.

    Slight variations in Brix readings can alter the taste and nutritional density of produce, so it is critical to monitor Brix levels in plants that develop consumable produce, such as wine grapes and cannabis. Overall Brix levels will have an impact on taste, nutritional density and aroma of the final product.

  • A product’s “shelf life” means the length of time you can expect a product to look and act as expected and to stay safe for consumer use. This length of time varies, depending on the type of product, how it is used, and how it is stored. Understanding shelf life is essential in assuring the safety and quality of the product. It’s important to re-evaluate shelf life when products are reformulated because changing or reducing levels of ingredients and/ or preservatives can all impact on shelf life.

    • Dipping fingers into a product adds microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi (mold and yeast), which need to be controlled, for example, by preservatives.

    • Over time, however, preservatives can break down, allowing bacteria and fungi to grow.

    • Applicators, especially mascara wands, are exposed to bacteria and fungi each time you use them.

    • Emulsions, which are mixtures of water and oil, can separate.

    • Exposure to moisture, such as in a bathroom, may make it easier for bacteria and fungi to grow.

    • Products can dry out, causing them to harden and crack.

    • Temperature changes and exposure to sunlight and air can cause changes in color and texture and may cause the products to smell.

  • Your ingredients/raw materials and finished product and where they are stored influences their efficacy and safety.

    Remember to always follow the recommended storage conditions the ingredients manufacturer and your third party testing facility has determined for the best use of a finished product and ingredients.

    More on stability testing - HERE