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Sensory-driven substitution of acrylate polymers with natural alternatives
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Researchers investigated the substitution of acrylate polymers with natural alternatives in commercial products, driven by environmental concerns about persistent synthetic polymer pollution including microplastics from personal care products. Sensory testing was used to ensure that natural replacements met consumer performance expectations.
Environmentalists are increasingly concerned about microplastics in the environment and are also critical of the use of liquid plastic in cosmetics putting the industry under pressure to find acceptable alternatives. Since liquid plastic gel formers greatly influence the sensorial characteristics and the stability of a product, it is important that such gels are replaced with polymers derived from natural products (biopolymers) or a blend of such polymers having similar performance characteristics. The researchers responsible for developing such products are also interested in a time-saving and reproducible "pre-screening tool" to support their product assessment, which is necessarily subjective, before the final formulations are profiled by an appropriately trained expert panel. The aim of this study was to apply rheological, frictiometric measurement protocols and sensory profiling enabling both a comprehensive characterization of the raw materials and identification of an appropriate replacement. Furthermore, the transferability of the concept of predictive modelling to polymers in general was to be tested.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.