Saponin - What is it? What can it do in the industry?

Kell Andersen

Project Manager, Ph.D.

Agro Business Park A/S

kan@agropark.dk

Presentation outline

• Introduction to Saponino What is saponin, origin and function

o Availability of saponin

• Industrial applications and the market

• Perspective

Where are Saponins found and what is the biological role

• Saponins are glycosides, reported in >100 families of plants• Sapo is the Latin word for soap (or soap-like)• Many types/structures, common is an amphiphilic structure (soap-like)• Saponins are active components in many traditional/herbal/folk medicines • Biological role; Plant defense against disease and herbivores• Clear structure-function/activity relationship• Content and type/structure is determined and influenced by

o Species, Genetics, Plant part, Stage of developmento Environmental and agronomic factors associated with growth of the planto Post-harvest treatments such as storage and processing (chemical stability)

• Most plants contain saponin, however modern cereals may have reduced or completely lost ability to synthesize saponin due to selection*

Sugar moietyGlyconeWater-loving

Sterodial/triterpenoid moietyAglyconeOil-loving

*Figen Mert-Turk, 2005

Saponin content of selected plants

Güçlü-Ustündağ & Mazza, 2007

• Saponins are often unwanted in food because of their bitter taste and sometimes irritating properties

• Saponin rich bran is often removed by processing (e.g. water rinsing)• Glycyrrhizin (saponin from liquorice root) is used as flavoring agent in food

items and vitamin or mineral supplements and to some extent in the pharmaceutical and beverage industries today

• Biological roles/activities and industrial applications have been investigated to a large extent

Where are Saponins found and what is the biological role

Glycyrrhizin

Biological activity of saponin

+ many more Güçlü-Ustündağ & Mazza, 2007

Biological activities of saponin

• Many indications that saponin can have beneficial effects on human and animal health

• Saponin from Yucca schidigera* and Quillaja saponaria** are generally recognized as safe (GRAS), approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Accepted as safe food, feedstuff and cosmetic ingredient.

• However, many studies are conducted with unrefined and undefined saponin.

• Need for more studies/test/demonstrations

*Yucca schidigera, also known as the Mojave yucca or Spanish dagger**Quillaja saponaria, the soap bark tree

Mapping the Saponin potential

Quinoa production in Bolivia in 2020: 120.000 tonsQuinoa production in Peru in 2020: 130.000 tons

Bran from processing: ~4%Saponin content in quinoa bran: ~10%

Quantity of quinoa saponin in 2020 ~1000 tons*

*Mapped in this project, Borregaard in collaboration with Partnership Technologies SRL

Bran: The hard outer layers of the seed rich in bitter-tasting saponins

Potential applications of saponin in the industry?

Sector/application Example

Pharmaceuticals Stabilization and transport/delivery ofpeptides/proteins/bioactive compounds

Cosmetics/personal care Natural emulsions, bioactivity?, improved transport of bioactive compounds (vitamins, aa ect.) across epidermis/skin

Food technology Natural emulsions and gels, improve beer foam stability, possible natural preservative, antioxidant

Household products Surface cleaning, synergy with enzymes and probiotics

Detergents Washing performance, synergy with enzymes

Paint Improved chemical mixing, preservativePowerful Kitchen and Bath cleaner concentrate!

0

200

400

600

800

1000

0 1 2 3 4 5

Savinase pH7

SDS (Bio-based)

C16-C18 MES (Bio-based)

Rhamnolipid (Biosurfactant)

No

rma

lize

d A

cti

vit

y in

%

[surfactant] (mM)

Andersen, Vinum, Madsen and Otzen, unpublished

Illustrations of potential applications?

+

(Synthetic)(Synthetic)

Stabilization of Pharmaceuticals Surface/fabric cleaning

Synergy with enzymes

Is there room for saponin on the market?Example: surfactants

• Volume : 24 million tons by 2020*• Value : 42 Billion USD by 2020*• Marked growth 2015-2020: 5.3%, by volume, and 5.5%, by value*

• The market is largely driven by applications such as the soaps/detergents, personal care, and industrial and institutional cleaners industries

• Price • Synthetic surfactants ~ 2€/kg• Biosurfactants (e.g. microbial) ~ 2-5€/kg• Biosurfactants are more expensive, though gap narrowing• Price is influenced by purity grade and application and more

*Marketsandmarkets, june 2015

”Procter & Gamble are looking for renewable chemical firms that can steadily supply them with cost-effective plant-based surfactant raw materials that are comparable with, if not better than, traditional surfactants.”

Long-Term Environmental Vision and 2020 goals:Using 100% renewable or recycled materials for all products and packaging

Is there a demand for ”green” alternatives?

http://www.pg.com/en_US/sustainability/performance/index.shtml

Perspective/concluding remarks• The market and demand for ”green” alternatives is growing• Industry is looking for completely biological and/or biobased alternatives to

unsustainable and synthetic products.• Possible to substitute synthetic surfactants with natural saponin in a range of

classical areas such as: detergents, cosmetics, food ingredients, pharma ect. • The unique biological role / activities / functionalities / properties may be

utilized in other applications: livestock dietary additive (improving animal health), crop protectant

• Sale price uncertainty. This will be influenced by factors such as, production cost, purity, functional properties, stability and more.

• Price of saponin products range from 2 to 1000 €/kg• If all quinoa saponin form Bolivia and Peru (together 1000 tons) is used within

the classical surfactant sector it can only substitute a small fraction of the entire surfactant need (24 mio. tons in 2020)

• Technology/methods for refining of saponin from quinoa bran, may be applied to purify/extract saponin from other plants

Glycosides, plant extractsCompletely naturalFirst use probably

Pre-histort

SoapsSlightly synthetic

About 2000 BC

Sulphated plant oilMore synthetic

1830s

Sulponated petroleumHydrocarbons

Highly syntheticEarly 1900s

Ethylene oxide, propyleneoxide copolymer

Completely syntheticEarly 1950s

Glucosides and sugar estersMainly natural

Late 1900s

Surfactant history

Adapted from Hargreves, 2003

Thank you for the attention