For a better, Microbiome-friendly world!

MyMicrobiome Standard 22.10 – Foot microbiome

Not only do our feet have to support our body weight, most of the time they find themselves in unfavorable conditions: poorly ventilated, inside the warm and humid microclimate of shoes and socks, often exposed to pressure points, and occasionally plagued by blisters.

The wet areas of the skin on the feet are home to microorganisms such as corynebacteria and staphylococci. Although the microbial diversity in the moist areas of our skin is lower compared to the dry areas of the skin, the density of bacteria is highest here. Over 15 million bacteria can be found on an area about the size of a postage stamp.

Foot microbiome

The microbes most commonly found on feet are:

Malassezia furfur

Staphylococcus
hominis

Staphylococcus warneri

Staphylococcus
warneri

Staphylococcus epidermidis

Staphylococcus
epidermidis

Malassezia furfur

Micrococcus
luteus

Malassezia globosa

Malassezia
restricta

Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum

Corynebacterium
tuberculostearicum

The test criteria for Standard 22.10 Foot microbiome

Foot care products must pass four tests to be awarded the "Microbiome-friendly" quality seal.

1. Quality test

This test guarantees the microbiological purity of the foot care product. It is examined for contamination by mesophiles and aerobic microorganisms, i.e. bacteria, yeasts or molds (TAMC and TYMC). The limit value is ≤ 1 x 10 3 cfu/g or ml and is therefore very strict.

2. Balance test

A co-culture is grown with the most common skin microbes S. epidermidis and the harmful bacteria S. aureus. The co-culture is then exposed to the product for a specified period of time and then compared to an untreated control group. The balance must not be tipped in favor of S. aureus under the influence of the product.

3. Diversity test

In this step, microbes typically found in the foot microbiome are cultured in our lab (S. hominis, S. warneri, S. epidermidis, M. luteus, M. globosa, C. Tuberculostearicum). A co-culture is exposed to the product to be tested and the change in diversity then compared to the untreated control group. The diversity of the foot microbiome must be preserved with regard to the most important key microbes.

4. Vitality test

A Microbiome-friendly foot product must both preserve diversity and, importantly, pose no detrimental effects to microbial growth. The test simulates skin contact by using a model. First, each key microbe is brought in direct contact with the foot care product; Then, the microbe is covered with an agar layer and the product to be tested is applied to this layer. This simulates the potential penetration of the care product into the deeper layers of the skin. As always, the cell growth of the two batches is compared with the untreated control group; the growth must not be significantly inhibited.

Dr. Kristin Neumann MyMicrobiome

 

"The MyMicrobiome Standard 22.10 guarantees that a product does not affect the natural balance of the foot microbiome. An intact and balanced microbiome in the foot area can, for example, prevent athlete's foot or a diabetic foot."

Dr. Kristin Neumann, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer

A selection of our customers / awards

Numerous brands in the cosmetics industry, with over 500 tested products, place their trust in our seal:

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