Yemoja launches algae-based ingredient to support skin health

Photo © Shutterstock.com/goodluz

Yemoja, Ltd. (Tel Hai, Israel) launched EPS-Revive, an external polysaccharide sulphate (EPS) topical beauty ingredient derived from Porphyridium cruentum, a species of red algae.

“More and more companies are working to create an ‘all-natural’ brand by using plant based or algae-based substances, with emphasis on ‘green’ processes and chemical-free end products,” said Erez Ashkenazi, CEO of Yemoja, in a press release. “While the demand for the product is high, Yemoja is a rare player in that we can provide a steady supply of the valuable and standardized raw material. We cultivate only natural wild-strain algae through an automated, fully controlled and contaminant-free downstream process. We use no chemicals or solvents, and we do not exploit any natural resources from the environment.”

Through Yemoja’s closed-cultivation system, there’s no dependency on external environmental factors or impact from climate fluctuations, which means there is a sustainable supply of EPS year-round, customized per the desired composition. The product can be delivered in gel form or as a pure powder. Furthermore, Yemoja possesses the capability to increase the amount of sulphate bound to the EPS using unique protocols that take place during the cultivation phase of the algae. 

“EPS molecules are synthesized within the red Porphyridium cruentum microalgae under high-stress conditions,” said Amikam Bar-Gill, PhD, CTO of Yemoja, in a press release. “This exerts a protective mechanism that safeguards the algae’s cells from dehydration, pH shifts, and bacterial infections. During cultivation the EPS is secreted by the algae and dissolved within the growth media — seawater — which is later separated from the biomass for ultra-filtration in order to concentrate the EPS into its final gel form.”

Additionally, in an ex vivo trial, EPS preserved the integrity of the connective tissue between the dermal layers in a depleted culture medium. It is believed that its sulphate content and structure is what renders it an excellent reactive oxygen species scavenger and protects the skin from aging. It also inhibited various inflammatory markers, specifically TNF-a and IL6 cytokines.

“We are exploring possibilities for integrating our aqueous solution into food supplements and branching out to the beauty-from-within sector,” Bar-Gill said. “Porphyridium polysaccharide is a potent antioxidant and effective anti-inflammatory agent that bears a high affinity to skin support and already is in use in nearly 300 cosmetic formulations worldwide. We also plan to investigate its possible capacity for alleviating medical dermal issues, such as atopic dermatitis and psoriasis in the near future.”