Symrise up efforts to save alpha-bisabolol production
many personal care products, is under threat in Brazil due to the
danger to the natural environment of the candeia plant it is
derived from.
To counteract this Symrise is increasing its campaign to protect the crop. The soothing properties of (-)-a-Bisabolol has led the oil to be in high demand, therefore generating concern that current development in the regions of Brazil could threaten the habitat of the candeia plant. As one of the worlds leading suppliers of (-)-a-Bisabolol for sensitive skin and hair-care applications, German ingredient supplier Symrise is now furthering its investments to safeguard the Brazilian rainforest. Efforts include expandsion into new partnerships with local businesses and developing its established networks with certified partners. In addition, Brazilian partner firms working with Symrise have provided the support and financing for a project being conducted by the Universidade Federal de Lavras, which is aimed at exploring preconditions for cultivating native candeia. Indeed, the cost of cultivating the crop is causing concern. Due to the amount of bisabolol in the wood of the candeia plant being so low, it is not cost-effective to extract the oil until the plant is twelve to fifteen years old. Therefore, maintaining the reserves is significantly more expensive resulting in a higher price differences for the bisabolol extract. However, with phytochemicals being in such demand due to the on-going mega trend that is the natural and organics market, every effort is being made by Symrise and local businesses to ensure the continued safety of the candeia crop to protect the lucrative bisabolol extract. Symrise has also highlighted that it will continue with its efforts to synthesise highly pure alpha bisabolol, another way to protect the natural resources asides from selecting natural sources of sustainable alpha bisabolol. The company has recently received industry recognition for its ingredient innovation using the bisabolol oil, winning 'Innovative Natural Raw Materials' category of BSB Innovations Awards, held at the InCosmetics show in Paris last month. The company's SymRelief product, an anti-irritant made of natural bisabolol and ginger extract achieved the award for its discovery that the addition of the ginger extract intensifies the anti-irritant effect of bisabolol. In order to cover all basis of maintaining the bisabolol plant's presence in the personal care industry the company has created a synthetic bisabolol alternative.
