UPCYCLED INGREDIENTS
Evaluating the efficacy of upcycled ingredients
Javier Arrieta - Inabata France, Karim Senni – UPR EBInnov, Marion Geoffroy – Pharmasynthèse, Anne-Marie Pensé-Lhéritier - FRM GaleSens
Consumers are increasingly concerned about the environmental, social, and economic impacts associated with the use of cosmetic products. Sustainability begins in the design phase and influences all subsequent stages. During the selection and sourcing of raw materials, sustainability can be enhanced by replacing conventional ingredients with upcycled alternatives from byproducts from the agro-food and forestry industries.1 However, some of the challenges are
selecting appropriate extraction methods and ensuring the safety and efficacy of these upcycled ingredients. This article outlines the essential steps for selecting, sourcing, developing, and producing a new series of upcycled active ingredients, using a group of five extracts as a case study.
Sourcing of the by-products Table 1 presents the five plants sourced from different origins, highlighting the part of the plant considered as a by-product and the current issues related to them. A producer in the South of France, which
cultivates organic almonds, was selected. The outermost parts of the almond fruits constitute up to 70% of the total biomass weight in almond production and are normally used for biochar, biofuels, and synthetic gas manufacture, i.e., processed to be burned. However, interesting compounds, such as chlorogenic acid, could be extracted and used as active ingredients for cosmetics. Liquorice leaves come from organic
cultivation in the Bouches-du-Rhône in France. The leaves, which fall from the shrub shortly before harvesting the roots in November, are not currently used and are rich in flavonoids like pinocembrin, so their upcycling allows the exploitation of potential waste while diversifying their uses. White tea leaves are sourced from China’s
Zhejiang region, where they are minimally exposed to pollution. We use end-of-harvest leaves, often overlooked for their lower demand but still high-quality, allowing us to extract active compounds like catechins while helping farmers maximize the value of their entire crop. The Cévennes region, in the South of
France, is famous for its chestnut forests. These forests do not need to be replanted, since they regenerate naturally. The bark is a by-product of sawmill cutting operations and is usually burned as an alternative fuel. We targeted the castalagin
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TABLE 1: SOURCING OF BY-PRODUCTS OF THE AGRO-FOOD AND FORESTRY INDUSTRY Plant (Latin name)
Origin
Almond (Prunus amygdalus dulcis)
Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
White tea (Camellia sinensis)
Chestnut (Castanea sativa)
Grapevine (Vitis vinifera)
Occitanie (France)
Bouches-du-Rhône (France)
Zhejiang region (China)
Cévennes (France)
Champagne (France)
and vescalagin contained in this biomass. Grapevine wood: Winegrowers typically
remove 3% to 5% of their vineyards each year for reasons like changing planting density, grape variety, or maintaining vine age. This process is costly, time-consuming, and generates significant CO2
from burning the vines. Instead,
we can extract active compounds to create a cosmetic ingredient.
By-product
Seedcoat and shells: The outermost part of the fruits
Leaves falling before harvest End-of-harvest leaves Bark from sawmill cutting
Wood from removed vine stocks
Current Issues
Mostly burned for bio- energy
Currently not used
Quality compliance, thus left unharvested
Burned as an alternative fuel
Burning causes costs and CO2
emissions The proposed solutions for upcycling
these by-products into high-value cosmetic ingredients will reduce waste, support sustainable farming practices, and enhance the economic value of these crops.2
Extraction method and phytochemical analysis There are various extraction methods available
September 2025 PERSONAL CARE
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