Algatechnologies has added a water-soluble astaxanthin to its AstaPure brand that can be formulated in o/w cosmetic applications in addition to foods and beverages. Natural astaxanthin is a lipid-soluble ingredient that can be incorporated in oil-based formulations.
Astaxanthin has antioxidant properties, and natural astaxanthin was recognized as GRAS by the US Food and Drug Administration. According to the company, it received requests for a water-soluble version of the ingredient for o/w cosmetic formulations, foods and beverages. Therefore, it developed a 2% astaxanthin in a liquid emulsion, which is producted under patent-protected, ISO- and GMP-certified technology. It is a ready-to-use formulation and can easily be introduced into liquid-filled capsules or any other water-soluble application. Its unique technology is based on food-grade, 100%-water-soluble micelles, allowing the production of a highly stable product form with respect to pH and temperature. The micelles have a diameter of approximately 30 nm.