AltSU scientists are involved in the development of a method to increase the shelf life of cosmetics and improve the composition of food products
Scientists of AltSU together with colleagues from AltSTU are studying the properties of higher fungi of the basidiomycete division. If added, fungi will make the composition of cosmetics hypoallergenic, and food products – saturated with useful microelements.
“Our developments are an opportunity to make cosmetic products of better quality. Fungi of the basidiomycete division are natural antioxidants, so the development will not only improve the composition of products, but also increase their shelf life. The fungi will become a substitute for chemical preservatives. The necessary studies have already been carried out, the next round is to determine how much the fungi affect cosmetic efficacy, to evaluate the reparative and hydration function,” says Denis Minakov, project researcher, Candidate of Biological Sciences, an associate professor of the Department of Organic Chemistry.
At AltSU, they cultivate fungi, that is, they create all the necessary conditions for maintaining the processes of their vital activity and reproduction. Experimental samples of substances are also obtained at our university. Here they study their chemical composition and biological activity, and after that they are sent to AltSTU to develop an improved formulation of cosmetics, which is further researched by the entire scientific team based on two universities.
“The specificity of cosmetic products is that most care products are emulsion systems consisting of microscopic liquid droplets distributed in another liquid – a dispersion medium. It is possible to introduce biologically active components into it, which we extract from fungi. Basidiomycete fungi contain carotenoids and polyphenols, which have strong antioxidant activity, they neutralize free radicals that damage the cells of our body. Therefore, extracts from mushroom biomass will have not only a moisturizing property, but also a property that slows down aging, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the product,” emphasizes Denis Minakov.
It is worth noting that fungi have been grown for centuries in Asia, for example, in China and Japan. Their therapeutic properties have already been studied there, due to which they are used in traditional medicine. Now their use will expand – they will be both in production and in the food industry, since scientists are also actively developing the introduction of mushrooms into the recipe of bakery products and fat-containing foods. This will change the consistency of the products and add biologically active substances beneficial for humans.