Cosmetic Ingredients Fermented by Lactic Acid Bacteria

Abstract

There is an interesting relationship between the skin and fermentation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) or bifidobacteria. Supernatants of these bacteria contain lactate and amino acids, which contribute to the hydration of the skin. Many cosmetic ingredients have been developed using LAB and bifidobacteria. In this chapter, four cosmetic ingredients that are being developed are introduced. Skim milk fermented by Streptococcus thermophilus (SE) has skin hydration, antioxidative, and pH control effects. Moreover, the cell protective effect of this ingredient has been proven in recent research. Aloe vera fermented by Lactobacillus plantarum, which was selected from 119 strains of LAB (AE), possesses fourfold greater skin hydration effect than nonfermented A. vera juice. Soybean milk fermented by Bifidobacterium breve has the potential to enhance hyaluronic acid production in three-dimensional culture of human cells. S. thermophilus YIT 2084 was proven able to produce hyaluronic acid. Although hyaluronic acid is a conventional cosmetic ingredient, it has the added value of being safe owing to its production using S. thermophilus, which is generally recognized as safe. It is believed that the technology introduced here will be useful for the development of next-generation cosmetic ingredients .