Sabinsa commits to cosmeceuticals & beauty foods.

Having recently obtained GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status for its hydrating Cococin coconut water ingredient, Sabinsa Corporation, Piscataway, NJ, is firming up its commitment to cosmeceuticals and beauty foods. Some of the products in which Cococin can be used include foods and beverages such as non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, frozen dairy, dairy product analogs, milk products, snack foods, imitation dairy products, chewing gum, instant tea and coffee, and soups.

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"Achieving GRAS notification within the target timeframe fulfills one more milestone in Sabinsa's development program to better serve our partners in the food industry," stated Muhammed Majeed, PhD, founder and chairman, Sabinsa. "By obtaining GRAS status, not only does the assessment demonstrate the safety of our product, but it also opens other doors for our company."

Cococin, patented in the U.S. and Europe for its use, is a standardized composition of freeze-dried coconut water solids obtained from tender green (immature) coconut fruit. When added as a nutrient to specific foods, Cococin can be beneficial for individuals who wish to increase their daily intake of nutrients, including potassium and magnesium. Long considered a refreshing beverage and even a natural sports drink in Southeast Asia, Central America and other tropical regions, Sabinsa says green coconut water has long been valued for its regenerative benefits.

According to the company, coconut water solids can support cell growth, which means that it may be used in products that support the growth of human tissues, such as hair follicles. Coconut water can therefore be used in revitalizing preparations for care of the skin, hair and nails. The proprietary freeze-dried coconut water solids blend seamlessly with dry products, and readily dissolve in water. Cococin is thus "The Nourishment Factor" that provides a valuable nutrient pool for enhancing food and beverage, as well as cosmetic product formulations.

The possibilities with Cococin are endless, so says Dr. Lakshmi Prakash, vice president of innovation and business development. "There are quite a few people looking at this ingredient," she said. "There are immense possibilities because it could go into nutricosmetics, food and beverages."

In other developments, earlier this year Sabinsa elevated its exclusive marketing partnership with Evonik Industries' (Frankfurt, Germany) personal care product line. This means Evonik will now offer more specialized, standardized botanical actives and extracts from Sabinsa--all specifically developed for cosmeceutical use--to the personal care industry worldwide. This new agreement deepens the one-year-old partnership and enables Sabinsa to get its innovative and efficacious active ingredients into the global cosmetic and personal care market by tapping into Evonik's extensive customer base.

About extending the relationship, Willy Klipp, senior vice president and general manager of Evonik's business line Care Specialties, said: "Collaborating with Sabinsa has allowed us to strategically broaden our ingredients portfolio with novel nature-derived active ingredients."

Shortly, Evonik will introduce Venocin (90%), a standardized extract derived from the seeds of the horse chestnut tree for the cosmetic market. Horse chestnut extract is clinically proven to benefit people suffering, for example, from varicose or spider veins. The second "new entry" is xymenynic acid, obtained from Santalum album seeds. The standardized powder extract adds an anti-inflammatory effect to personal care products. These products will complement the already existing range of new plant extracts originating from the cooperation with Sabinsa: Tego galanga, obtained from the roots of Kaempferia galangal; Tego policosanol, a mixture of higher aliphatic alcohols extracted from sugar cane wax; Tego arjuna, a standardized extract from the heartwood of the Terminalia arjuna tree; and Tego turmerone, a distilled fraction of turmeric oil from the root of Curuma longa by a supercritical carbon dioxide process.