The marine ingredients marketplace has been steadily growing for a few years now, but thanks to the almost overwhelming scale of the habitat in question, plus the limitations inherent in both the sourcing and processing of the material, there remains a huge amount of potential locked beneath the waves.
But as interest in the use of natural actives has rocketed globally, more and more companies are looking to the sea for the next beauty ingredient courtesy of Mother Nature. And once again, Asia has led the way there.
The industrial use of marine ingredients in both the food and cosmetics industry has been popular for many decades in Asia, and as a result formed the basis of leading brands still recognised today. But now that Europe is catching on to this marine goldmine of chemical compounds, a great deal more investment is being poured into research and development, and this will benefit formulators on a global level.
From a European perspective, French companies remain at the forefront of this particular area of development, several of which are devoted solely to the production of marine ingredients. But now, for example, the extensive shoreline of Scotland is also playing host to a number of innovative new companies, thanks in part to the European Centre for Marine Biotechnology in Oban.
In the near future we can expect an incredible surge in the number of new products arriving on the market that have been developed from marine sources, including antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, scar removers, glucosamine, omega-3 fatty acids, anti-microbials and minerals. It really is a case of the rate of discovery being limited only by the number of hands on deck (to use a terrible maritime metaphor) and the limitations of technology. We are already seeing some very interesting products emerge from intensive research into microalgae and microoganisms, and this will continue to grow.
But as with all natural products, the challenge will lie not only in the discovery of potential new ingredients, but also in attaining reliable and sustainable supplies in a way that doesn’t harm the delicate balance of the environment. It is vital that we exploit the resources of the sea as best we can without destroying it for future generations to enjoy and explore, as the sea remains first and foremost an object of natural beauty itself.