Bitrex® Certification

Companies using the Bitrex® Trademark get enhanced marketing, technical, and regulatory support via Macfarlan Smith’s Bitrex® Trademark Program. To ensure the integrity of the Bitrex® Trademark as a bitterant safety additive or taste aversive, all products bearing the Trademark are evaluated for bitter taste, stability and QC compliance.

Bitrex® Advertising- Advertising reaches millions of customers each year. Co-op advertising programs are tailored to meet individual product and company situations.

Sales Promotions – Bitrex® sales promotions are strong vehicles for trade and retail promotions. Promotions projects include the “Sourpuss Photo Contest™”, “Two words to put your mind at ease: Contains Bitrex®” and “Bitter-face”.

Public Relations – Macfarlan Smith and Market Actives work with safety organizations around the world, including the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, the National Safety Council and the European Safety Organization.

Human Taste Testing – Macfarlan Smith developed human taste test protocols which are accepted by regulatory agencies and multinational companies. Testing is performed at independent laboratories to ensure data integrity. All evaluations and testing are executed under strict confidentiality.

Stability Evaluation – Formulation and product evaluation verifies Bitrex® is compatible and will remain at a stable level of bitterness for a product shelf and use life.

Analytical Method Development & Certification – Bitrex® is used in very low concentrations and refined analytical chemistry methods are required to determine Bitrex® levels in product formulations. Macfarlan Smith’s analytical labs develop and certify testing protocols for QC/QA monitoring and for regulatory/legislative compliance. Regulatory Support – Macfarlan Smith holds a chemical, toxicological and efficacy database to support EPA, FDA and other registration and compliance requirements. Bitrex® has proprietary EPA approvals for inclusion in a wide variety of pesticide applications.

Bitrex® is stable, inert and easily added to most products. For ease of handling, many manufacturers use our standard Bitrex® solutions of Propylene Glycol, Ethylene Glycol or Ethanol. This reduces mixing time and bitter taste exposures. Technical and regulatory support are readily available for consulting on any questions.

What concentration of Bitrex® should be used?
Use ranges from 20-500 ppm (0.002% to 0.050%) in most consumer products. Studies on human taste testing of antifreeze with Bitrex®, published by Macfarlan Smith in 1993 (SAE Technical Paper 930589), determined a minimum aversive level of 30 ppm Bitrex®.

Is Bitrex® stable?
Yes, Bitrex® is stable and inert in most products. However, Bitrex® is not stable in strong oxidizers such as bleach and peroxide and will not be bitter if added to these types of products. The Bitrex® Trademark Program includes formulation review and shelf life testing to ensure bitterness for the life of the product.

How do we determine a minimum level of Bitrex® that will be effective?
The only accurate way to determine effective levels is human taste testing, which Macfarlan Smith will do free of charge in the Bitrex® Trademark Program. Macfarlan Smith has taste tested thousands of products and has an extensive database to advise on initial ranges of concentration for stability and costing purposes.

What affects bitter taste perception in a product?
Many factors can affect bitter taste perception in a product, including physical form (liquid, gel, solid), solids content, viscosity, inherent taste and fragrance. Minor changes in formulation can affect use levels by 50%.

Will Bitrex® affect product performance?
At effective levels Bitrex® does not affect performance, appearance, stability or odor of most products. Some high oil concentration products may require reformulation techniques. Our chemists are available for assistance in this area.

What is the analytical method to determine low Bitrex® concentrations?
Under the Bitrex® Trademark Program Macfarlan Smith develops and certifies an analytical method specific to each product. The preferred method is HPLC.

Product safety is a key purchasing motivator for the trade and consumers. Bitrex® provides a unique and credible product feature addressing this issue for automotive, household and garden chemicals. It can help address brand and marketing issues of:

• Product differentiation
• Credible product claims
• Innovation and leadership
• Quality positioning
• Trade and retail sell-in

Sales experience and marketing studies show the positive “halo” effect of adding Bitrex® to products. Consumers and retail buyers show a strong preference to purchasing products with Bitrex®. The Bitrex® safety concept is readily communicated and recalled. Bitrex® customers:

• Are very enthusiastic about Bitrex®
• Have positive feelings towards products with Bitrex®
• Speak highly of companies that use Bitrex®
• Show a strong preference to buy products with Bitrex®

The Bitrex® trademark provides a broad appeal to the trade and to retail customers. Sales promotions, marketing and PR support reach millions of consumers each year with the Bitrex® message. Major companies marketing with the Bitrex® advantage include well known brands such as Scotts/Ortho “Bug-Geta®”, Wal-Mart’s “Equate®” and USA Detergents “X-tra®”. National brands and upscale private label brands have found the Bitrex® advantage: Safety Sells.

Safety education is a key goal in the promotion of Bitrex®. We work with safety organizations around the world to help prevent accidents and enhance health.

Bitrex® co-branding, promotions, advertising and public relations programs reach millions of customers each year. Bitrex® is promoted as one of many safety steps to be taken within an overall safety program, which should include formulating, packaging and labeling by manufacturers and proper storage, use and disposal by consumers.

Experts emphasize the following to reduce deaths and injuries from poisonings:
(1) Keep medicines and household chemicals locked up, out of reach, and out of sight of young children at all times.
(2) Use child-resistant packaging because it saves lives.
(3) Call (800) 222-1222 for immediate treatment advice for poison emergencies.

In the USA several public safety campaigns are celebrated each year:
National Poison Prevention Week – 3rd Week of March
Child Health Month – October
Child Safety Awareness Month – June