Microbiome-friendly formulation chassis
Annette Mehling and Krystal Wang of BASF share insights into microbiome-friendly formulation development
The last few years have seen a surge in new products with claims around the microbiota and / or microbiome being launched into the personal care , medical care , nutrition and even agrochemical markets . One reason for this is that the new methods in molecular biology , like next-generation sequencing and -omics, have facilitated the identification of microorganisms , the composition of their communities , and their interactions with their hosts and environments . Despite the vast knowledge already obtained and the essential role of microorganisms in maintaining human and environmental health becoming increasingly evident , this area of science is actually still in its infancy . Not only are there more microorganisms that can be found in and on our bodies than there are our own cells , they interact with each other and us in manifold ways .
Probably the first comprehensive and pivotal overview of the skin microbiome was published by Grice and Segre in 2011 . 1
Microbial fingerprint
The skin ’ s microbiome is a fascinating realm that is in the midst of being discovered . The definition of the microbiome is expanding to include not only the genomes of microorganisms but also the ‘ theatre of activity ’, i . e . metabolites , interactions with other microorganisms and the host , etc . 2 The different microbial communities have strong skin-site-specific preferences in terms of habitat – for instance , some like it moist , some oily , some hairy . Therefore , their sitespecific composition varies across body locations . The microorganisms found on healthy skin also help to maintain the slightly acidic pH our skin needs . They interact to ward off pathogens or to prevent an overgrowth of other microorganisms and thus take on additional roles in promoting skin health . Other factors also play a role , such as gender , age and the exposome ( the measure of all the exposures of an individual in a lifetime and how those exposures relate to health ) has an effect , too . 1 , 3 , 4 As each person seems to have their own unique microbial communities , the signatures are now sometimes termed ‘ microbial fingerprints ’. The microbiome is becoming a primary focus of many cosmetic applications . As this is a relatively new field , much attention is currently being given to individual bioactives and how they can modulate the microbial composition of the skin . In this study , we took on the challenge of exploring the effects of the ‘ galenics ’, the non-bioactive ingredients found in skin care products and the primary ingredients of most formulations .
Figure 1 – Testing scheme
24 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE ESTABLISHED 1981