As a global organization in the specialty ingredients space, we see growing interest in ingestible solutions that support collagen health while meeting demand for animal-free products. Collagen is a key structural protein in skin, cartilage, bone, tendons, and other connective tissues. Ingested ingredients may support collagen health in several ways, including supplying amino acids or bioactive peptides, supporting the body’s own collagen synthesis, or helping reduce collagen degradation. The strength of evidence varies widely depending on the ingredient, tissue, and biological mechanism. 

Today, the most established ingestible collagen products are typically animal-derived collagen peptides. Some non-animal ingredients, including vitamins, plant extracts, proteins, and antioxidants, may support collagen-related pathways, but many have only indirect evidence or are supported primarily by laboratory or preservation studies rather than demonstrated effects after ingestion. 

As demand grows for vegan and animal-free products, there is an opportunity to identify scalable ingredients that can support collagen formation or integrity in food, beverage, and supplement applications. Plant-derived ingredients and fermentation-based production methods may offer promising routes to create effective, consistent, and commercially viable alternatives without relying on animal-derived sources.