Researchers find biocompounds from rapeseed oil industry co-stream as cosmetic actives

The team, made up of colleagues from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, in Spain, and 2VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, published their study in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science​​, as they focused on the potential activity of rapeseed press cake hydrolysates to be used as raw materials for skin care.

They found that enzymatic technology applied to the rapeseed oil industry co-stream results in the release of bioactive compounds suitable for skin care applications.

Potential activity​

“Despite the great number of substances produced by the skin care industry, very few of them seem to truly have an effect on the skin,”​ says the team.

“Therefore, given the social implications surrounding physical appearance, the search for new bioactive compounds to prevent or attenuate skin ageing and enhance self-image is a priority of current research.”​

In this context, being rich in valuable compounds, such as proteins, phenolics, lipids and vitamins, their study focused on the potential activity of rapeseed press cake hydrolysates to be used as raw materials for skin care applications.

Positive results​

To do this, the study saw the protein-rich press residue from the rapeseed oil industry converted enzymatically into short-chain biologically active peptides using four protease products with varying substrate specificity – Alcalase 2.4L FG, Protex 6L, Protamex and Corolase 7089.

The antioxidant, anti-wrinkle and anti-inflammatory activities of the obtained hydrolysates were evaluated in vitro​ while their biocompatibility with human skin fibroblasts was tested.

The study found that all hydrolysates were biocompatible with skin fibroblasts after 24 hours of exposure, while the non-hydrolysed extract induced cell toxicity.

Alcalase 2,4L FG and Protex 6L-obtained hydrolysates were the most promising extracts showing improved bioactivities suitable for skin anti-ageing formulations, namely antioxidant activity, inhibiting approximately 80% cellular reactive oxidative species, anti-inflammatory and anti-wrinkle properties, inhibiting around 36% of myeloperoxidase activity and over 83% of elastase activity.