The ingredient was developed and is manufactured by EPI France, with Seppic serving as the exclusive worldwide distributor. The ingredient comes in two forms—powder and oil—for use in multiple formats including bars, chewing gum, candy, cereal, beverages, yogurt, and more.
Ceramosides is marketed as an ingredient for use in products that want to make a beauty claim. In 2017, researchers from EPI France’s R&D department published a study in the journal Cosmetics, reporting a positive link between oral supplementation of ceramides on skin parameters in humans.
“We are proud to have unlocked this achievement within our long-term goal to offer our customers new areas of innovation through continued scientific research and meeting the highest regulatory standards,” said Sebastien Merchet, business development manager at Seppic Inc.
“Beauty-from-Within has a bright future within the functional food space, and Ceramosides now offers the ability to innovate within that space by offering coveted and unique claims,” he added.
The ingredient fits perfectly into the growing trend among formulators to develop functional food and beverage products with beauty claims using plant-based ingredients.
In Canada, the ingredient has been granted Natural Product Numbers, which means that the Canadian health authority has approved health claims to go along with products formulated using Ceramosides.
The 30 mg dose in powder form, registered with the Natural Product Number (NPN) 80090999, may be marketed in Canada with the recommended use or purpose of helping “improve skin hydration,” “help to improve skin smoothness and appearance for a health skin,” “improves skin elasticity and moisture,” and “helps to support skin health.”
Additionally, products using the ingredient with the appropriate dose may be marketed using claims that say the effects may be seen in 15 days.
A higher dose, at 70 mg per serving in oil form, is approved for the same claims as the 30 mg dose.