Astaxanthin is a natural carotenoid, commonly found in microalgae, crustaceans, and salmon. It is widely regarded as the king of antioxidants and used to boost the immunity, support cardiovascular system, reduce pain, improve disease resistance, etc. Astaxanthin is also used as a valuable natural color in many industries.
Commercial astaxanthins are mostly synthesized and few are extracted from plants and animals. Natural astaxanthin is found to be approximately 20 times stronger than the synthetic one (Capelli, 2013). Amongst the natural sources, animal-based astaxanthins are generally believed to result in better biocompatibility and bioactivity to humans and animals.
As the leading shrimp co-product processor in Vietnam, VNF leverages the country’s abundant raw materials and holistically valorizes shrimp co-products with its proprietary biotechnological approach and zero-waste production mindset. After a recent successful pilot, VNF expects to mass-produce and commercialize its astaxanthin in early 2021. With this significant milestone, VNF will proudly join the list of the very few companies who are able to produce natural astaxanthin in the world.