Journal of Energy Bioscience 2025, Vol.16, No.2, 94-104 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/jeb 100 The phenolic acids and flavonoids in Cordyceps are the main antioxidant ingredients, and they also have a certain sunscreen effect. These substances can absorb ultraviolet rays and reduce skin damage caused by sunlight, making them suitable for addition to sunscreen skin care products (Pintathong et al., 2021). Nanoemulsions made from Cordyceps extracts have good anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects and can help maintain the youthful state of the skin (Rupa et al., 2020). 7.2 Repair functional products Beyond its anti-aging properties, cordycepin residue from Cordyceps can be utilized in skin repair products. The compound's ability to reduce oxidative stress and promote skin tissue regeneration makes it particularly effective for addressing skin damage. Additionally, cordycepin enhances collagen and elastin synthesis, which helps improve skin elasticity and firmness (Upatcha et al., 2023). Some small molecule peptides isolated from cordyceps also show antioxidant effects, which can protect cells from free radical damage and are suitable for adding into repair skin care products (Li et al., 2024a). Cordyceps extract can also inhibit the production of melanin, which helps to reduce spots and brighten the skin. Cordycepin can inhibit a variety of enzymes and pathways involved in melanin production and is also widely used in whitening products (Jin et al., 2011). Combining the two effects of repair and whitening, cordyceps residues have high application value in the development of multifunctional skin care products. 7.3 Market trends Nowadays, an increasing number of skincare brands are focusing on Cordyceps residues, particularly as they originate from natural and reusable resources that align with consumers 'demand for eco-friendly ingredients. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and reparative properties of Cordyceps perfectly match the "multi-functional integration" concept emphasized in today's skincare market. Reusing these discarded Cordyceps residues not only conserves resources but also promotes sustainable development (Kunhorm et al., 2019; Pintathong et al., 2021). Advancements in biotechnology have enabled more efficient extraction and higher purity of active ingredients like cordycepin. These technologies allow manufacturers to consistently produce high-quality raw materials that meet demands from skincare and cosmeceutical markets (Oh et al., 2018; Kunhorm et al., 2019). Several companies have already incorporated cordycepin-based components into various personal care products, including skincare and hair care formulations. 8 Difficulties in Using Cordyceps residues 8.1 Difficulty in extracting ingredients The ingredients of Cordyceps residues are very complex, and it is not easy to extract useful substances from them. The ingredients of different batches of residues vary greatly, such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, polysaccharides and other bioactive ingredients. These ingredients are mixed with each other and easily affect each other during extraction, increasing the difficulty of separation. If the extraction method is not appropriate, it will not only be inefficient, but may also destroy the activity of the ingredients (Pintathong et al., 2021; Wu et al., 2021). Different solvents also have a great impact on the extraction effect. Some solvents can extract more active substances, but they are expensive or not environmentally friendly, and are not suitable for large-scale use (Pintathong et al., 2021). There are also some improved methods, such as using macroporous resins to simultaneously decolorize and deproteinize, which can improve efficiency and retain the structure of polysaccharides (He et al., 2019). However, these technologies are not mature enough. If they are to be applied to industrial production, they need to be further optimized and reduced in cost (Ran et al., 2019). 8.2 Product quality is difficult to guarantee The quality of products processed from Cordyceps residues is not easy to be uniform. This is mainly because the residue raw materials themselves are unstable. For example, different substrates used in the cultivation process or different extraction methods will affect the active ingredient content of the final product (Pintathong et al., 2021).
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