FSS PhytoGel PF
- PRESERVED WITH LEUCIDAL LIQUID -
FSS Phytogel PF may be used in any formulation where animal gelatin needs to be replaced.
Use in formulations as a thickening and moisturizing agent, a film former, viscosity builder or suspending agent
Animal gelatin has long been utilized in the cosmetic industry. It is a tremendous moisturizing and film-forming agent that also helps to increase the viscosity of a formulation. In recent years, however, the use of animal derived products has dramatically decreased. Manufacturers and formulators alike are faced with the dilemma of replacing those animal derived products with alternate products derived from plant materials, products derived through biotechnology, or purely synthetic materials.
Animal gelatin is a water-soluble product that arises from the dissolution, degradation, and disorganization of the highly organized water insoluble collagen fibers. It is this disorganization of the network of linked tropocollagen units to form with a much-decreased degree of internal order that gives rise to gelatin. This disorganized state, is what gives gelatin its thick, rigid structure which provides for its much-desired cosmetic characteristics.
Since collagen is the major protein constituent found in gelatin, it is necessary to more closely examine the composition of collagen itself. Collagens, no matter the source from which they are procured, have a highly characteristic amino acid distribution. One of the most notable features of collagen is the amino acid content. Collagen consists of the imino acids proline and hydroxyproline which comprise approximately 15-30% of the overall residue content of collagen. Hydroxyproline is the key-identifying agent in this particular class of proteins, since it is found almost exclusively in collagens. Collagens found in lower organisms typically contain less praline and hydroxyproline than do the higher organisms, such as animals. It is important to note that hydroxyproline is present in significant amounts in major glycoprotein of primary plant cell walls. This unusual amino acid is produced in plant cell wall in response to injury. The exact structure of gelatin is difficult to mimic without employing an animal derived material. However, achieving the functionality of an animal gelatin by applying another source as well as novel chemistry is attainable.
