Unleashing the “golden root”: Conagen commercializes ancient Chinese herb extract for stress relief

28 Sep 2022 --- US-based Conagen has announced commercial production of its 99% high-purity salidroside, made via bioconversion technology. Salidroside is an active ingredient from the herbal plant Rhodiola rosea, also called the “golden root,” known for its stress-relieving and antioxidant properties.

“We’re reimagining how rare ingredients are sourced to make them safer and higher-quality for use in health-promoting products,” says Casey Lippmeier, SVP of innovation at Conagen.

“Our bioconversion technology enables us to deliver non-GMO products. Through this technology, we’re unlocking salidroside’s great potential as a powerful active health ingredient and a tool for food and beverage producers to adopt a more natural way to preserve food and beverages.”

The production of Salidroside – a glucoside of tyrosol – accelerates through leveraging its molecular platforms, also used to produce antioxidant hydroxytyrosol and p-coumaric acid.

Stress relief
The company highlights the ingredient’s antioxidant properties as being beneficial for reducing inflammation and protecting cells against oxidative stress. It is also said to “provide relief from depression, fatigue, and stress and alleviate high altitude sickness.”

“Salidroside is one of the rare, natural molecules with proven adaptogenic activities, which correlates to stress reduction,” says Lippmeier. The ingredient has antioxidant properties, is beneficial for reducing inflammation and protects cells against oxidative stress.

“Initially identified in botanical extracts, adaptogens are promising new options in the quest to relieve the stress of our daily lives. This trend opens opportunities for supplement brands and food and beverage manufacturers to adopt a health-focused profile for their products.”

The product is non-GMO, which provides “identical compounds as found in the Rhodiola rosea plant, in a sustainable and natural consumer appeal.”

Previously, Conagen received attention for its infant nutrition tech and non-GMO human milk oligosaccharide. 

The fermentation process
Compared to traditional medicine programs, fermentation is “tightly controlled,” meaning that there is a significant risk reduction of heavy metal, fungal toxins and other materials causing contamination.

“Rhodiola rosea extract is most commonly used in Europe and Asia. Its medicinal use for reducing stress and depression can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty in the classic medicinal scripture Compendium of Materia Medica,” the company notes.

Conagen expects F&B producers to benefit from the ingredient, as it contains antimicrobial properties, making it attractive for brands seeking alternatives to artificial preservatives.

Furthermore, consumer health awareness is rising, and a more holistic approach to physical and mental health is trending, significantly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Edited by Beatrice Wihlander