Is PQQ's Opportunity Here?
1. Review of PQQ’s regulatory approval timeline
Pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt is referred to as PQQ, It is a coenzyme of oxidoreductase and is naturally present in many foods such as milk, eggs, spinach, etc. It plays a powerful role in cardiovascular health, brain health, metabolic function health, etc.
It can be seen that pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium salt (PQQ) was first accepted as a new food ingredient on March 8, 2021, and synthetic PQQ was approved as a new food ingredient in March last year. It was accepted again in early 2023, and then fermentation PQQ was officially approved as a new food ingredient on October 7. In terms of regulatory review, PQQ's progress is very fast.
Currently, the approved application direction of PQQ, whether it is synthesized or fermented, is beverages.
In the United States, PQQ is managed as a "generally recognized as safe substance (GRAS)" and can be used as a raw material in energy drinks, sports drinks, electrolyte drinks and other foods; in the European Union and Canada, it is used as a dietary supplement or natural health food. It is more popular abroad, and PQQ is often used in combination with coenzyme Q10, PS, inositol, DHA, collagen and other raw materials as a dietary supplement, and is used in capsules, tablets, solid beverages, oral liquids and other products.
The fermentation-based PQQ approved this time is obtained from glucose-eating and methyl-eating bacteria through fermentation, extraction, purification, crystallization, drying and other processes. This fermentation process has a long history and is more recognized in foreign markets than the synthetic method.
More importantly, the approval of fermentation-based PQQ will help reduce the cost of PQQ to a certain extent.
the cost of PQQ produced by either synthetic or fermentation methods is still relatively high. However, as production capacity increases, fermentation-based PQQ has the opportunity to reduce production costs, which will further promote the application of PQQ in the terminal market.
2. PQQ: The Magic Element That Helps Support Brain Health
First of all, PQQ is outstanding in protecting nerves. It can promote the growth and repair of nerve cells and has a protective effect on the nervous system. Modern life is fast-paced and stressful, and many people face problems of neurasthenia, such as insomnia and nightmares. PQQ can effectively relieve these symptoms and may help prevent and improve neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
Secondly, PQQ has a strong antioxidant capacity, which can remove free radicals in the body and protect cells from oxidative damage. In the brain, this antioxidant effect is particularly important, as it protects nerve cells from damage by oxidative stress, thereby maintaining brain health. In addition, PQQ can improve mitochondrial dysfunction, enhance neuronal energy metabolism, and further enhance the brain's resistance and recovery capabilities.
Studies have shown that PQQ also has a significant effect on improving memory. It can improve neuronal damage caused by oxygen-glucose deprivation, thereby improving memory and learning ability. For people who often need high-intensity mental activities, such as students, office workers and the elderly, PQQ supplementation is undoubtedly a great boon.
3. Current status of PQQ in the international market
In recent years, PQQ (pyrroloquinoline quinone) has gradually attracted attention in the international market as a micronutrient with multiple health benefits. Its strong antioxidant capacity, neuroprotection and memory improvement effects make PQQ have broad application prospects in many fields such as health products, food and cosmetics.
Judging from the reaction of the international market, PQQ has indeed shown certain market potential. In the United States, PQQ has obtained GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) certification and can be used as a raw material for energy drinks, sports drinks, electrolyte drinks, bottled water and other foods. In the European Union and Canada, PQQ has also been approved for sale as a dietary supplement or natural health food. These international market recognitions have laid a solid foundation for the further promotion and application of PQQ.
However, although PQQ has made some progress in the international market, it is too early to say that it has truly ushered in a full spring. On the one hand, as an emerging nutrient, PQQ's market awareness is still relatively low. Many consumers do not know enough about it, and even have misunderstandings. This limits the promotion and application of PQQ in the market. On the other hand, competition in the international market is also increasingly fierce. Various nutrients and health products emerge in an endless stream, and consumers often face many difficulties in choosing. How to stand out from many products has become an important issue that the PQQ brand needs to solve in the international market.
