What is Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract?

This is part of our ongoing series helping consumers better understand chemicals, chemistry, and product formulations. We translate the science, bust the myths, and give you an honest assessment, so you can make informed choices for your family!

Ingredient:

Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract

What it is:

Apples, taxonomically, are members of the rose family, along with other delicious fruits like plums, pears, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, and cherries. The fruit extract is most commonly manufactured by peeling the apple, removing the core materials, drying the fruit, and then creating a powder from it (1).

What it does:

Apples have been a favored fruit snack since 6500 B.C. and today, 7,500 varieties are grown around the world (2). As a food, apples are a good source of fiber, vitamins A and C, potassium, and folate – but their benefits go far beyond nutrition (3). Increasingly, extracts from this fruit are popping up in face and body care products like hair conditioners, hand and body lotions, shampoos, anti-acne formulations, and more (4,5). According to the Cosmetic Ingredient Review, apple-derived ingredients are used for the following functions: skin conditioning, emulsion stabilizing, increasing viscosity, as an astringent, fragrance, and exfoliant (1).

Why we use it:

We’re always on the hunt for ingredients from nature that take relatively little processing and are safe and effective. We chose to use Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract in our sunscreen for its skin moisturizing properties.

References:

1. Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel. (2015). Safety Assessment of Pyrus malus (Apple)-derived Ingredients as Used in Cosmetics. Retrieved May 28, 2016, from http://www.cir-safety.org/sites/default/files/pyrusm032015rep.pdf
2. Apple Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved May 28, 2016, from https://extension.illinois.edu/apples/f
3. Apple Nutrition. (n.d.). Retrieved May 30, 2016, from https://extension.illinois.edu/apples/nutrition.cfm
4. Cosmetics & Toiletries. (n.d.). Retrieved May 30, 2016, from http://www.cosmeticsandtoiletries.com/formulating/function/active/26883709.html?page=1#sthash.sMBE94hF.dpuf
5. Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract. (n.d.). Retrieved May 30, 2016, from http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/pyrus-malus-apple-fruit-extract#sthash.1MA5tbjy.dpuf