NATURALS
Naturals: why chemical composition matters
Antonia Kostic - @aformulator Giorgio Dell’Acqua – New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists
When we taste a naturally-derived product such as coffee or olive oil, we may have a different sensorial experience based on the product’s origin and its processing. Malbec wine produced in Argentina may taste similar to Malbec wine produced in California but not identical. Olive oil from Greece does not have the same sensorial profile as that from Tuscany. They are just different and, as consumers,
we can choose the one that fits the experience we want. Those differences are linked to genetic and environmental components as well as processing practices. Similarly, naturally- derived cosmetic ingredients from the same plant can have different characteristics and chemical properties depending on the various geographical locations of the plant as well as the processing of the extract. Those properties can eventually affect the
safety and efficacy of the finished cosmetic product and also in this case the formulator can choose the one that is looking to fit its formulation design. It is important to know that not only colour and smell could be affected (a prerequisite for selection) but also chemical composition. Since a specific active or undesired substance can be in a higher or lower concentration depending on the plant’s origin and processing, the ingredient composition can affect the safety and efficacy of the finished product.
The influence of plant geographical location - environment Plants are in constant interaction with the environment. Depending on the plant species, the degree of influence of external factors such as temperature, light, water, wind, soil, etc. varies. In order to adapt to the mentioned circumstances or stressors, plants change their metabolism and their chemical composition.1 The quantity and/or quality of certain
metabolites change based on the environmental condition in which the plant grows.2
In the following paragraphs, the link
between the different locations (origin) of the plant and different fatty acid profiles is discussed. Oils that are mainly used in the cosmetic industry such as jojoba and olive oil are chosen for better understanding. Furthermore, it is examined how the presence of heavy metals in the soil can end up in the plant raw material. A study on jojoba oil (Simmondsia
chinensis) produced in Egypt suggests that
www.personalcaremagazine.com
there are major differences in the composition of the oil when compared to the same oil from other parts of the world like North America and Mexico. The main components in Egyptian jojoba oil were behenic acid (C22:0), heneicosanoic acid (21:0), and Cis-13, 16 docosadienoic acid methyl ester (C22:2).3 Interestingly, heneicosanoic acid was in much higher percentages than in oil from the rest of the world, but fatty acids like eliadic, linolenic, Cis-8,11,14 eieosatrienoic, and lingocernic acids were much lower.4
These
differences can be attributed to genotype as well as environmental pressure selection for metabolites and suggest a possible functional difference when oil is used in finished products.5 Virgin olive oils (Olea europea) extracted from Tunisian trees coming from four different
regions (Sfax, Beja, Gabes and Medenine) along the Tunisian coasts were analyzed. Significant differences in fatty acids composition such as oleic and linoleic acid as well as phenols were observed based on different locations, demonstrating that fatty acid and phenols content was the most informative in discriminating olive oils from production sites that are different by geographical and climatic parameters. Southern cultivars had the best fatty acid and phenol combination resulting in a longer resistance to oxidation. The differences observed between locations
for the fatty acid composition may be explained by the difference in altitude, temperature and the salinity of soil between the chosen regions. Gabes and Medenine cultivars had the best fatty acid composition and the highest oxidative stability while Sfax cultivars had the lowest stability and the worst composition in terms of fatty acids.6 Some authors suggest that at higher
altitudes, the oils would have a greater amount of oleic acid, phenols and a higher stability, while at lower altitudes the oils would present a higher saturated and linoleic acid content.7 Other than altitude (associated with
temperature, UV and possibly wind), recent studies have highlighted the additional role of soil’s composition on the oil chemical composition. The soil composition, which varies by region, could be in fact transferred to the oil composition content.
March 2023 PERSONAL CARE
39
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103
