ISOLATION, CHARACTERIZATION AND EFFECT OF CANDIDA-PARAPSILOSIS ISOLATED FROM A DETERIORATED COSMETIC

A single yeast strain was isolated from a spoiled contour-des-yeux cre am. The deterioration consisted of separation of the oil/water emulsio n and a liquid appearance. The yeast was identified as Candida parapsi losis, an opportunistic pathogen associated with nosocomial infections . The biodeterioration effect could be reproduced when this yeast was inoculated onto different cosmetic creams under laboratory conditions: direct inoculation, preservatives inactivated and aged products. The strain was able to grow on some of the compounds of the cosmetic formu lations as the sole source of carbon: lipid components, emulsifiers, t hickeners, humectants or solvents. It was resistant to butyl paraben a nd phenoxy ethanol, preservatives used in the cosmetic industry. (C) 1 997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.