Industrial Consultancy & Sponsored Research (IC&SR) , IIT Madras
Process for Producing Hydrogel from Cyclic Beta Glucan and Carrageenan for use in Cosmetic and Food Applications
Technology Category/Market
Category- Drugs & Pharmaceutical Engineering
Industry Classification:
Pharmaceuticals; Food & Beverages; Cosmetics
Applications:
Medical use- Tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, plastic surgery, wound treatment,
Cosmetic use- Removal peels or moisturizing packs, delivering antioxidants, whitening agents, anti-aging, and anti-inflammatory substances while rejuvenating and hydrating skin.
Food use- Smart food packaging, encapsulating flavors, enzymes, stabilizers, essential oils, and delivering probiotics in nutraceuticals.
Drug delivery- Smart carriers for delivering drugs and active molecules in various forms, such as nano-gels, 3D sponges, films, beads, and nanofiber
Market report:
The Global Hydrogel Market was valued at USD 28.4 billion in 2023, and is expected to reach USD 50.0 billion by 2032 with a CAGR of 6.5%
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Problem Statement
- Hydrogels hold enormous promises in healing wound, injuries, aging etc. by acting as a functional tissue that mimics the cellular microenvironment and complex tissue architecture.
- Traditional hydrogels often require synthetic additives for structural and functional properties that limits the biocompatibility.
- Moreover, conventional hydrogels depend on chemical preservatives as they are prone to germ buildup and are limited in their adaptability and physico-chemical properties.
- There is a need for an organic, customizable hydrogel that is biocompatible and suitable for diverse applications without heavy reliance on synthetic chemicals.
Technology
- The technology utilizes natural, biodegradable polymers—carrageenan and cyclic β-glucan—forming hydrogels with hydrophobic pockets within a hydrophilic gel, ensuring high biocompatibility, biodegradability, and moderate water absorption.
- The hydrogels can be fabricated into versatile forms, including 3D sponges, films, beads, nanogels (10–1000 nm), and nanofibers, catering to diverse industrial and medical applications.
- Cyclic β-glucan is synthesized via Bradyrhizobium japonicum MTCC 120 cultures, while carrageenan is extracted from Kappaphycus alvarezii under controlled conditions, ensuring reproducibility and scalability.
- The hydrogels serve in cosmetics (anti-aging, whitening agents), food packaging (encapsulating flavors, enzymes), and medical fields like wound care, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine.
- With antioxidant encapsulation, controlled molecule delivery, and excellent swelling capacity, the hydrogels excel as carriers for drugs, cosmetics, and probiotics in nutraceuticals, adding significant value to industries.
Key Features/Value Proposition
- Superior biocompatibility and biodegradability, ensuring safer use across cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food, and medical applications compared to existing synthetic alternatives.
- The invention supports multiple forms—3D sponges, films, nano-gels, and fibers—tailored to specific uses, outperforming conventional hydrogels with limited adaptability.
- Acts as a carrier for antioxidants, probiotics, drugs, and active molecules, enabling advanced applications in skin care, nutraceuticals, and therapeutic delivery, unlike standard hydrogel systems.
- Offers utility in tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, smart food packaging, and cosmetics, leveraging natural, biodegradable materials, addressing limitations of synthetic and less versatile hydrogels..
Questions about this Technology?
Contact for Licensing
Research Lab
Prof. Mukesh Doble
Department of Biotechnology
Intellectual Property
- IITM IDF Ref 1304
- IN 404189 Patent Granted
Technology Readiness Level
TRL 4
Technology Validated in Lab