CAROLINA CONFALONIERI
Technical and Regulatory Affairs Specialist, Gale & Cosm S.r.l., Milano, Italy

Abstract

The Korean-originated new active ingredient, based on Aureobasidium pullulans, is a pink yeast derived from the Jeju King cherry blossom. It has a particular soothing and moisturising effect thanks to its film forming ability; those properties have been confirmed by different in vitro and in vivo tests. It can be used in serums, lotions and creams formulations because of its specific texture. This article aims to show the relevance of the local flora, how important it is to value and respect it and how nature can always surprise us with the discovery of new active ingredients that can make changes to our bodies, improving their characteristics and appearance.

INTRODUCTION
Aureobasidium Pullulans Ferment is a pink yeast derived from the Jeju King cherry blossom. Compared to the more common cherry blossom, it has a floral leaf quite large and beautiful in appearance with flowers that are much more colorful than the ones of the more common cherry blossom. The King cherry blossom tree is a local plant which only grows in Jeju Island, the first place to be found in Korea, and mostly blooms in the south Hallasan Mountain.

This pink yeast is basically derived from Aureobasidium pullulans, and it can be found in different environments; this yeast is generally called ‘black’ because it produces melanin. It has the same structure as beta-1,3/1,6-glucan, known as an active ingredient in mushrooms or brewer’s yeast. It is widely used in functional health foods and cosmetics, based on its functional usefulness; in fact, beta-glucans show cholesterol-lowering, hypoglycaemic and immunomodulatory properties.

In this case, however, the Aureobasidium pullulans derived from the Jeju King cherry blossom, is different from the general black yeast, because it does not produce mela ...