The time has come for The Silent Revolution of Sustainable Collagen, and it can be the option to use in various applications thanks to its biocompatibility and excellent degradability.
THE NEW ERA OF COLLAGEN DOES NOT COME FROM AN ANIMAL. IT COMES FROM A BIOREACTOR.
Fermentation technology is creating recombinant collagen identical to human collagen, vegan, ultrapure, and without the risks of traditional sources.
Our new article breaks down this revolution, with a special focus on Lipotrue’s Col Fraq, an active ingredient that demonstrates efficacy in 30 minutes.
The future of collagen is not sustainable. It’s biotechnological.Said Vanesa Micolucci
Collagen is a complex macroprotein that accounts for 20% to 30% of proteins in living organisms. Thanks to its high water absorption capacity, collagen is a good candidate for texturizing, thickening, and gelling. It possesses interesting properties related to surface behavior, which include emulsion, foaming, stabilization, adhesion and cohesion, protective colloidal functions, and film-forming ability. Likewise, collagen is a good surfactant, thanks to its ability to penetrate lipid-free interfaces.
Current Obstacles and Challenges:
- Strict Regulations: There are strict regulations against animal abuse.
- Flavor Issues: The aroma and taste of marine collagens are often described as fishy, bitter, or salty, which negatively impacts their acceptability. These flavors need to be masked when added to smoothies or food products.
Specific Regional Data
The North American collagen market is particularly significant:
United States: Valued its market at USD 1.3 billion in 2024. Collagen had the largest market size (90.4 tons) as an ingredient in the U.S. in 2021, which is the largest globally.
Canada: Valued its market at USD 256 million in 2024 and is expected to grow at a 7% CAGR. The increase in this market is attributed to the growing demand for organic and natural products by customers.
Competitive Landscape and News
Key market players include Nitta Gelatin, Gelita AG, Weishardt Group, Rousselot Inc., and Tessenderlo Group.
Innovation in Vegan Collagen: Lipotrue, you can discover much more by visiting the following article here
Product Launches: Old Bull Health launched “Marine Collagen Peptides” in November 2024, sourced from the Norwegian sea and certified sustainable. ISOPURE, from Glanbia Performance Nutrition, launched “Collagen peptides” with 20 gm of collagen peptides.
Is sustainable vegan collagen real?
Laura Salud, pharmacist and CEO of Salmo Labs, states:
“Collagen is exclusive to the animal kingdom. There is no natural source of collagen that is vegan.”
Colnatur, a brand specializing in collagen, explains:
“So-called ‘vegetable collagen’ are mixtures of amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that promote collagen production, but are not collagen themselves.”
Vegan collagen is an innovative plant-based collagen biomimetic that contains a variety of plant extracts. These include asiaticoside, ginsenoside, and fermented amino acids, which stimulate the natural synthesis process of type I collagen.
It presents itself as an alternative with the same amino acid structure as human type I collagen. Vegan collagen activates the natural synthesis process of type I collagen, containing plant extracts that genetically induce collagen expression.
Fermentation Technology for Sustainable Collagen Production
Facing global challenges, more sustainable production methods are being sought. Fermentation technology exploits microorganisms for transformative raw material conversion processes. The fermented amino acids used in vegan collagen are obtained through fermentation technology from plant-based ingredients. Corynebacterium glutamicum is successfully applied to amino acid production.
Advances in whole-genome sequencing and mutagenesis allow C. glutamicum to produce the necessary molecules more efficiently. This provides more possibilities for further biotechnology application and more sustainable industrial development.
Furthermore, this fermentation technique allows for the formulation of vegan collagen with an amino acid profile that closely resembles human type I collagen.
Composition of Sustainable Vegan Collagen
Vegan collagen is mainly composed of amino acids (90%) and plant extracts, such as asiaticoside and ginsenosides.
Asiaticosides possess anti-inflammatory properties, which could help alleviate skin inflammation and sensitivity. This makes them potentially valuable in the treatment of inflammatory skin conditions like eczema and and dermatitis. They can also contribute to maintaining the skin barrier.
Ginsenosides are the active ingredients of the ginseng plant. They have antioxidant properties that help prevent hyperpigmentation and blemish formation. They can also decrease cell damage caused by free radicals. Antioxidant effects can help maintain collagen health.
Effects of Collagen on the Skin
In one study, vegan collagen (Corpowell BV, Schilde, Belgium) was used to explore the skin-beautifying effects on the human body.
Through clinical results, vegan collagen has been shown to improve skin collagen density, elasticity, and texture, as well as reduce wrinkles, pores, hydration, and luminosity. Future biomimetic collagen products could use production methods to meet the demand for sustainability.
What alternatives to traditional collagen exist?
The search for alternatives to traditional collagen (generally from bovine or porcine sources) is due to concerns related to sustainability, health risks (such as transmissible spongiform encephalopathy or foot-and-mouth disease), cultural/religious restrictions, and environmental impact.
Alternatives to terrestrial mammalian collagen fall into three main categories based on the sources provided:
Plant-Based Alternatives (Vegan Collagen)
The demand for vegan and cruelty-free products has driven interest in plant-based collagen alternatives. However, pharmacist and nutritionist Laura Salud affirms that collagen as such is exclusive to the animal kingdom. Therefore, the so-called “vegan collagen” marketed is not real collagen, but an alternative that acts as a precursor or stimulator.
Characteristics and Sources of Plant-Based Alternatives:
Mechanism of Action: Plant-based collagen does not contain real collagen, as plants cannot produce it. Instead, it provides vital nutrients to the body, such as vitamins, minerals, and essential amino acids (glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline), which stimulate the natural production of collagen in the human body. This is a holistic approach that supports collagen levels and overall health.
Composition: These are combinations of plant fibers that seek to mimic the amino acids of animal collagen.
Common Sources: It is extracted from plants such as soy, peas, rice, algae, seeds, fruits, and vegetables, including mushroom cartilage, flax and sesame seeds, amla, bamboo, and aloe vera.
Advantages: It is a sustainable and ecological alternative, as it reduces the carbon footprint, avoids animal harm, and aligns with the demand for vegan products. Additionally, plant-based collagens are hypoallergenic, making them a safe option for people with sensitivities or allergies to animal products, such as seafood.
Challenges: According to experts, these alternatives are often difficult to digest and absorb, which can significantly reduce their effectiveness, as they barely provide the necessary amino acids for forming functional collagen in the body.
Biotechnological and Recombinant Collagen (Animal-Free)
Biotechnology has allowed for the development of an advanced collagen platform that is produced through fermentation-based processes and is completely free of animal or human-derived materials.
- Recombinant Technology: Evonik has developed a patented collagen platform that uses recombinant technology to produce a highly soluble and ultrapure form of collagen. This platform mimics many of the attributes of natural collagen, including the triple helix structure, to reliably interact with cells and tissues.
- Safety and Purity Advantages: Produced under controlled conditions, this fermentation-based collagen eliminates the risks associated with animal collagen, such as the potential transmission of pathogens, batch variability, or allergic or immunogenic reactions.
- Applications: This technology can effectively replace the use of animal-derived collagen in pharmaceutical, medical, tissue engineering, and cell culture markets. Evonik launched a specific product, “Vecollage Fortify L”, a vegan collagen developed by fermentation for the beauty industry that mimics skin collagen.
- Specific Fragmented Collagen: Collagen fragments have also been developed, such as Col Fraq (by Lipotrue), which is a collagen fragment identical to a human type I collagen sequence, produced in plants and characterized as being of natural, vegan, and sustainable origin.
While traditional collagen is primarily obtained from bovine or porcine sources, alternatives include marine collagen (from fish, jellyfish, etc.), plant-based supplements (which stimulate the body’s production but are not real collagen), and recombinant and sustainable collagen produced through biotechnology and fermentation.
What is recombinant collagen?
Recombinant collagen is an advanced type of collagen developed through fermentation-based processes and produced without using animal or human-derived materials. It is considered a significant biotechnological advance.
Below, we detail what recombinant collagen is and present specific information about Lipotrue’s Col Fraq active ingredient, as requested.
Definition and Characteristics of Recombinant Collagen
Recombinant collagen is the result of applying recombinant technology to create a form of collagen that offers safety, sustainability, and commercial scalability.
Structure: This collagen is designed to mimic many of the attributes of natural collagen, including the triple helix structure. It can mimic the attributes of human collagen, allowing it to reliably interact with cells and tissues and be easily absorbed or remodeled by the body.
Purity and Origin: It is produced under controlled conditions, which results in a highly soluble and ultrapure form. Being free of animal materials, it eliminates the risks associated with animal collagen, such as the potential transmission of diseases or pathogens, batch variability, or adverse immunogenic or allergic reactions.
Vegan Suitability: The fermentation-based process makes it sustainable and suitable for vegan use.
However, sources point to a possible limitation in some forms of recombinant collagen:
Functional Limitations: Certain types of recombinant collagen obtained from plant cells, yeasts, or whales, are questioned because they cannot perform the post-translational hydroxylations, which are key steps for obtaining fully functional collagen.
Lipotrue’s Col Fraq Active Ingredient
Lipotrue has developed an active ingredient called Col Fraq, presented as an innovation in the new era of collagen.
Col Fraq is a collagen fragment that is identical to a sequence of a human type one collagen fragment.
Characteristics and Advantages
Sustainability and Vegan Origin: It is a vegan active ingredient produced in plants, of natural and sustainable origin.
Functional Suitability: This active ingredient stands out because, although the collagen most similar to human collagen until now was of animal origin or recombinant collagen obtained from plant cells, yeasts, or whales, Col Fraq possesses characteristics of sustainability, natural origin, and being vegan that no other active ingredient on the market meets.
Proven Benefits: Col Fraq offers the following benefits for the skin:
◦ Collagen synthesis.
◦ Dermal layer rejuvenation.
◦ Decrease in dermal senescence.
◦ Tensing effect (contraction and compaction of the dermis) due to the reinforcement of collagen fibers.
Rapid Efficacy: Col Fraq has demonstrated efficacy in just 30 minutes, which continues to increase at 7 and 28 days, allowing for effective short, medium, and long-term treatment. Its clinical efficacy is greater than that of a vitamin C derivative (ascorbyl glucose) and can be used in combination with it to increase the efficacy of the final product.
Comparative Table: Col Fraq (Lipotrue) vs. Bovine Collagen
The following table compares the characteristics of bovine collagen (the dominant source in the market) with Lipotrue’s Col Fraq active ingredient, which represents a recombinant and vegan fragmented collagen alternative.
| Characteristic | Bovine Collagen (Animal) | Col Fraq (Lipotrue) |
| Origin | Terrestrial animal (skin, bones, tendons of cows). | Vegan and Sustainable, produced in plants. |
| Type of Collagen | Mainly Type I and Type III. | Collagen fragment identical to a sequence of a human type one collagen fragment. |
| Common Processing | Ingested as hydrolyzed collagen (predigested) for easy absorption. | Acts by promoting the synthesis of collagen. |
| Absorption/Efficacy | More efficient and faster absorption than plant collagen, as amino acids are structured to be easily utilized. | Demonstrates greater clinical efficacy than a vitamin C derivative (Ascorbil Glucose). Its effect is noticeable in just 30 minutes, increasing at 7 and 28 days. |
| Vegan Suitability | Not suitable for vegans or those avoiding animal products. | Yes, it is a vegan active ingredient. It meets natural and sustainable origin characteristics. |
| Primary Use | Improvement of skin elasticity and moisture, wrinkle reduction, joint health, and prevention of bone loss. | Collagen synthesis, dermal layer rejuvenation, decrease in dermal senescence, and tensing effect (reinforcement of fibers). |
| Risks/Impact | May be associated with disease transmission (TSE/FMD), batch variability, and significant environmental impact (Amazon deforestation). | None mentioned in the sources; presented as an alternative that meets characteristics that “no other active ingredient on the market meets.” |
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