The test method employed by the laboratory to analyse alcohol-based hand sanitiser products is a Gas Chromatography With Flame Ionization Detection - GC/FID method for quantification of methanol, ethanol, propan-1-ol, propan-2-ol and glycerol (total alcohol screen). This method is a newly validated test that has now satisfied the conditions for full INAB accreditation.
All new biocidal products, including Virapro hand sanitiser are registered based on a documentary application. Administrative checks are applied to applications for every hand sanitiser, including technical specifications around formulation, safety data and including label approval. As this is an administrative process, no samples are submitted or analysed as part of the approval process.
However, my Department's Pesticides Formulation Laboratory had already commenced developing the above-mentioned analysis method prior to the notification by the European Anti-Fraud Office to Revenue Commissioners of an issue with Virapro.
Since this test method was developed, the Pesticide Controls Division has submitted over 100 hand sanitiser product samples to the Pesticides Formulation Laboratory for analysis. The Division also has a draft sampling plan for the period up to end of quarter one 2021. This draft sampling plan will be adapted and extended as appropriate during the year, in response to test results.
