Nutricosmetics – Snake Oil or Biotech Opportunity?

Perusing the pages of Fast Company, I came across a series of articles profiling the new trend of “nutricosmetics.” What exactly is nutricosmetics? According to Nestle’s Chief Beauty Officer (yes that’s a real title) Kimberly Cooper, it is the fusion of “food, nutrition, and beauty,” and the notion that “what you consume does affect how you look and feel.”

Nestle has turned that description into Glowelle, which it describes as a “Beauty Drink.” Available only at places like Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus, at first glance the whole concept seems like a fleeting trend for those with more money than sense. But Datamonitor, a market researcher, projects that nutricosmetics will be a $1.3 billion category by 2012.

 Now you may be wondering how this all relates to biotechnology. It does not appear that the FDA has any oversight, and Nestle is not exactly a pharma powerhouse. That is what makes BASF’s entry into the market more intriguing. Certainly, the world’s largest chemical company’s involvement lends some level of scientific credibility to nutricosmetics. The $79 billion company has been creating high-end nutricosmetic ingredients for companies such as Estee Lauder and L’Oreal.

Serge Rogasik, who heads up the nutricosmetic effort for BASF, and is a biochemist by training, sees nutricosmetics as part of a movement in “in which holistic treatments replace toxin-based ones.” In the Fast Company article, he references advances made in skin care by using food-science technology, such as dill extract to treat aging skin, and expects to see breakthroughs in within the next 36 months.

Wow, what a concept. Instead of plastering Clearasil on before bedtime (been there), you could just sip a chilled mango-guava beauty smoothie (just made that up, but it does sound tasty) that treats your pores from the inside. Here’s the problem, where’s the science? How does Nestle’s Chief Beauty Officer, previously a brand manager, prove that Glowelle  does anything, other than cleanse your pockets of cash?

Now anyone who’s been in a GNC knows there are many products that make outlandish nutritional claims without FDA approval. Are nutricosmetics similarly going to be able to fly under the FDA’s radar and sell “health” products without FDA interference?

Well, if the case of Diet Coke Plus is any indication, maybe not. As a quick tutorial on gross drinks, Coca-Cola describes the drink as “a sparkling, calorie-free beverage with vitamins and minerals. In addition to providing great, refreshing taste, Diet Coke Plus is a good source of vitamins B3, B6, and B12, and the minerals zinc and magnesium.” 

Katie Bayne, senior VP, Coca-Cola Brands, Coca-Cola North America is quoted as saying”we wanted to offer [consumers] the convenience of a calorie-free beverage that is a good source of several essential vitamins and minerals, and one that delivers on the great taste that they have come to expect from us.” (here’s the whole press release http://www.dietcoke.com/press_032207.pdf)

Sound familiar? A little nutricosmeticish?

Well the FDA shockingly issued a statement saying that Diet Coke Plus’ labeling is misleading, and in particular, that the nutritional claims are misleading.    More specifically, the FDA says Diet Coke Plus violates the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, and that it is misbranded because the nutritional claims do not meet the criteria for such a claim.

The consequences? Coke has to correct the violations, and if they don’t, the FDA will take its own actions, including seizures or injunctions. (For more details, check out this article http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/12/fda_coke_plus.html).

So what’s my point? Two things:

First, it appears the FDA may finally be reigning in some of these products that make unsubstantiated nutritional claims, and therefore nutricosmetic manufacturers would be well advised to support their claims with solid science.  Afterall, if Coke can’t prevent the FDA from bringing the heat, who can?

Second, there may be a niche for start-up biotechs to take advantage of this burgeoning area, and create data-backed nutricosmetics, or license such technology to the Nestles of the world who don’t want to undertake the hard science. Besides, who wouldn’t get a kick out of getting funding for developing a chilled mango-guava beauty smoothie. I know I would!