How It Works: The Science Behind FeruliShield™
Nature-Inspired Innovation
FeruliShield™ is a patented biotech ingredient built on ferulic acid — nature’s own photoprotectant and antioxidant. By enzymatically linking ferulic acid to natural triglycerides such as soybean or coconut oil, we’ve created feruloyl glycerides: stable, lipophilic molecules that are more effective, versatile, and easier to use in personal care formulations.
Improved Ferulic Acid Performance
While ferulic acid itself has powerful antioxidant and photostabilization properties, it is acidic and notoriously difficult to formulate in water or oil. Through our enzymatic process, FeruliShield™ overcomes these limitations — enhancing stability, bioavailability, and compatibility across a wide range of skincare and suncare products.
FeruliShield™ neutralizes free radicals with speed and demonstrates rapid antioxidant activity — far outperforming other molecules. This rapid activity helps protect formulations and products from free radical attack.
Rapid Antioxidant
Ability to Scavenge 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrahydrazil (DPPH). Vitamin E (10µM in ethanol, purple diamonds) is the gold standard for scavenging free radicals with a DPPH Free Radical Scavenging assay (1, 2, 3.
Feruloylated Soybean Oil (in Ethanol) also shows rapid antioxidant activity. Antioxidants that perform in the blue shaded bounding box are considered rapid antioxidants. Adapted from (1).
1.Compton, D.L., J.A. Laszlo, and K.O. Evans, Antioxidant properties of feruloyl glycerol derivatives. Industrial Crops and Products, 2012. 36: p. 217-221.
2.Choo, W.S. and E.J. Birch, Radical scavenging activity of lipophilized products from lipase-catalyzed transesterification of triolein with cinnamic and ferulic acids. Lipids, 2009. 44(2): p. 145-52.
3.Huang, D., B. Ou, and R.L. Prior, The chemistry behind antioxidant capacity assays. J Agric Food Chem, 2005. 53(6): p. 1841-56.
FeruliShield™ enhances the performance of both inorganic and organic UV filters, delivering significant, measurable SPF gains. In optimized formulations, improvements can range from 10% to several-fold increases, depending on system specifics.
For example, in a mineral sunscreen with 10% zinc oxide and 5% FeruliShield™, the in vitro SPF doubled—from ~20 to over 40.
By improving UV efficacy, FeruliShield™ allows formulators to achieve higher SPF targets with lower levels of inorganic filters—helping reduce white cast—and to limit the need for organic UV filters, supporting cleaner, more elegant formulations.
Boost SPF/Boost Protection
Compton, D.L., et al., Protection of Antioxidants,
Vitamins E and C, from Ultraviolet Degradation
using Feruloylated Vegetable Oil. J Am Oil Chem
Soc, 2019. 96: p. 999-1009.
Photo Protection
Feruloyl glycerides can photoprotect active ingredients.
When exposed to UV many active ingredients lose their functionality. For example, when Vitamin C or Vitamin E are exposed to UV for 4 hours, they lose their antioxidant potential but when first mixed with with FeruliShield and then exposed to UV for 4 hours a significant amount of antioxidant scavenging is preserved.
This photoprotective action extends to many other ingredients, improving product shelf life and ensures maximum performance for skin-benefiting formulations.
Photo Protection
FeruliShield™ is derived from naturally occurring components and is designed to be readily broken down through biological processes showing 80-100X more biodegradability than petroleum based alternatives. Its triglyceride-based structure supports compatibility with environmental systems, offering a more sustainable alternative to persistent, petroleum-derived ingredients.
Chou, K et al. Biodegradation Rates of FerulicAcid Derivatives and Traditional Sunscreen Actives in Marine, Bay,and Freshwater Environments. ACS Sustainable Chem Eng. 2024, 12:3899-3908.
Absorption Profile
FeruliShield™ exhibits a broad UV absorption profile, with a peak in the UVA II region. While not intended to function as a primary UV filter, its antioxidant capacity helps boost photoprotection and support the performance of sunscreen systems.
