472 JOURNAL OF COSMETIC SCIENCE
Naturality &biodegradability. SAA has a natural origin content of 85% (ISO 16128
including water) and is inherently biodegradable according to OECD 301B.
Ecodesigned process. This novel ingredient considers all 12 principles of green chemistry
in manufacturing. Specifically, the ingredient addresses principle 7 using a renewable
feedstock and principle 10 as the ingredient is inherently biodegradable.
Sustainable sourcing. The starch used comes from the potato, a traceable and renewable
feedstock. The potato is a very efficient crop (one of the highest yields per hectare on dry
content) in terms of land use and carbon footprint. According to the supplier, it does not
compete with other food in the supply chain, and it is GMO-free.
Low footprint. SAA has a 30% lower carbon footprint compared to The acrylate copolymer.
(The calculations have been conducted using various assumptions. Formulators need to
assess the impact on their finished products based on the use rate of each ingredient.) Also,
SAA is free from GMOs, does not include ethoxylated ingredients, is cold processable, and
is microbiome friendly.
Sustainability of C spinosa (tara) gum natural rheology modifier polymer. Other rheology
modifiers are also derived from natural sources like polysaccharides. Polygalactomannans
are high-molecular-weight polysaccharides that are widely used as suspending, thickening,
emulsifying, and gelling agents in applications as diverse as foodstuffs, coatings, personal
care compositions, and ingredients in oil well fracturing fluids. They are found in the
endosperm material of seeds from leguminous plants such as Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (guar
gum), C spinosa (tara gum), Ceratonia siliqua (locust bean gum), and Cassia obtusifolia
(cassia gum). A polygalactomannan is composed of the backbone of 1→4-linked β-D-
mannopyranosyl units with recurring 1→6-linked α-D-galactosyl side groups branching
from the number 6 carbon of a mannopyranose residue in the backbone. The galactomannan
polymers of the different Leguminosae species differ from one another in the frequency of the
occurrence of the galactosyl side units branching from the polymannopyranose backbone.
The average ratio of D-mannosyl to D-galactosyl units in the polygalactomannan contained
in guar gum is approximately 2:1, 3:1 for tara gum, 4:1 for locust bean gum, and 9:1 for
cassia gum. The greater the galactose side unit substitution, the greater the cold-water
solubility properties of the polygalactomannan.22,23
Sustainable sourcing. Tara gum, also known as Peruvian carob or C spinosa, is a leguminous
shrub native to Peru, South America. The fruit, usually harvested by hand, is a flat,
oblong, indehiscent, and reddish pod that contains large, round, black seeds composed of
an endosperm, germ, and hull.24 Tara seeds are obtained from local producers and have a
high social impact for the growth region.
Ecodesigned process. A fully mechanical production process guarantees an environmentally
friendly and 100% natural hydrocolloid product. No solvents or chemicals are used for refining.
It is COSMOS approved, has a natural organic content of 100% (ISO 16128), is readily
biodegradable (OECD 301F), is vegan suitable, and is microbiome friendly, all of which
gives it a high-sustainability profile.

473 DELIVERING SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE WELLBEING
Tara gum is a relatively new and underexplored galactomannan that exhibits superior
quality and performance compared to other galactomannans on the market. Its mannose-to-
galactose average ratio (M/G) of 3:1 confers its high thickening capability, good solubility,
and synergistic behavior with other hydrocolloids (Figure 20). Tara gum has been used
in the food industry as a stabilizer, thickener, and texturizer. However, its potential in
the cosmetic industry has not yet been fully explored. Because of the growing consumer
demand for natural-derived, environmental-friendly cosmetic products, more attention is
now given to this gum, especially in hair care where more than 60% of products launched
between 2019 and 2023 had ethical and environmental claims.25
Performance of starch acetate/adipate. SAA was tested in a variety of sulfated and nonsulfated
surfactant formulations (including low-percentage surfactants and more challenging sulfated
surfactants) and demonstrated outstanding performance. Results show that SAA works
very similarly to acrylate copolymers and other market benchmarks. As seen in Figure 21,
when formulated in a traditional sulfated chassis (sodium laureth sulfate/cocamidopropyl
betaine), this polymer increases formulation viscosity and yield with increasing polymer
concentration while maintaining high clarity (low turbidity).
At these viscosities, SAA creates honey-like flow characteristics, which is desirable for
rinse-off products. The yield value allows for the suspension of many types of insoluble
ingredients with various densities.
The salt response was also evaluated where varied salt concentrations were tested in a
traditional sulfated chassis (sodium laureth sulfate/cocamidopropyl betaine). The results
show that the addition of salt provides a synergistic effect, which boosts viscosity and yield
value (Figure 22).
SAA was also tested in several challenging sulfate-free surfactant formulations (glutamate,
sulfonate, taurate, isethionate, and sulfosuccinate). Throughout the formulation screening,
the polymer exhibited very good performance in yield value, viscosity, and clarity at a
neutral pH. In one example, this novel ingredient was evaluated in an alpha olefin
sulfonate/cocamidopropyl betaine chassis (pH 6.5), and the results show that increasing the
Figure 20. Tara gum chemical structure.