by Daniel Avaro

Manager

Aloetrade America

The future of the aloe industry is really surprising and exciting, both for final products and raw materials or ingredients. New industries are adding aloe into product formulations on these days.

During many years and till today, for most of people aloe has been a product known as useful in many external uses, usually for healing or soothing and specially in sunburns. Since the 70s and specially in the 80s and 90s aloe juices and aloe dietary supplements grown into the health market, but not reached the mass market.

Aloe gel, aloe powder and and aloe paste with high aloin content are being used in numerous product formulations into the pharmaceutical industry.

Pharmaceutical grade aloe products has an extremely high quality standard. Pharma industries uses aloe for various applications and formulations.

The most required product into this industrial sector is the freeze dried aloe powder, usually in the 200X presentation, while the aloe paste with aloin is mostly traded to develop laxative products.

The cosmetic industry, is probably the most known industrial sector where aloe vera is used. Even so, majority of cosmetic products has a very small percentage of aloe into their formulations. Nowadays, new cosmetic products with a medium or high aloe content are being launched to the markets.

Commonly, consumers may find products like shampoos, conditioners, liquid soap, solid soap, deodorants, antiperspirants, cleansing creams, day & night creams, bath gel, hair creams, hair gels, hand creams, foot scrub creams, body cleaning creams, toothpastes and other spa products, where aloe is used as ingredient, and where the percentage of aloe varies notably.

In this market, the drinkable gel of aloe -or simply the aloe juice- is the main item sold, with healing properties, curative actions and like refreshing drink.

The juice provides beneficial properties due to its good regulating action in the digestive system and in complementary form for gastritis treatments, ulceras and others. It is also used as drinks for athletes and sportsmen, like tonic and purifier of the organism.

In many countries, aloe juices are very common into those suffering different cancer types. Not only at popular level is suggested, but also many researchs have demonstrated acemannan effects over tumoral cells. See the Research Section in this site. Similar circumstances applies to patients with HIV/AIDS.

In the food industry aloe gel, aloe powder or aloe paste are used as ingredient, flavoring, additive, energizer or supplement in many products, including the following categories:

• Spirits (liquors like bitter, vermouths, fernets and similars)
• Non-alcoholic drinks, like bitter, juice with addition of aloe, isotonics and drinks for sportsmen and dietary supplements mixed with other ingredients or flavors.
• Desserts, puddings and gelatins
• Dairy products, specially yoghourts, fortified milks and ice creams
• Caramels and candies
• Baked products
• Flavoured teas and yerba mate
• Marmalades and preserves
• Soups
• As ingredient in frozen mixed vegetables

Into the food and beverage industries, new product development are being formulated at present, because aloe vera is one of the most favourite ingredient to develop and launch functional foods and functional beverages.

Aloe products are becoming of common use in diverse applications into the spa industry. Some of those products are related to those manufactured for the cosmetic industry. However, spa industry demand specific formulations and preparations.

Aloetrade America has a complete set of aloe spa products and aloe spa treatments. Those products and services are offered under our franchising to luxury hotels,  lodges, spas, cruise lines and other hospitality centers worldwide.

Various products containg aloe are developed for veterinary industries, most of them for animal external uses.

Also, aloe is increasingly used as a supplement in nutrition formulas for large animals and for the pet food industry.

Usually the aloe vera in powder or liquid is used for constipaton, indigestion, worms, urinary ailments, mastitis, and skin ailments. It is also used as a lotion for corneal ulcers and karatitis. By the other side, the aloe vera gel is also applied to wounds, sores, bruises, and tumors.

We have developed an aloe leaf dry extract (aloe dehydrated powder) for use as supplement in animal feedings, with good fiber content and nutritional effects. Aloetrade also sell aloe gel to wash udders of cows, a health and cleaning practice increasingly used in the dairy industry at several countries.

In the Agriculture and Produce Sector, the Aloe is starting to be used as an edible coating in some fruits to prolongue the lifetime into the shelves.

The Department of Food Technology, at the University Miguel Hernandez, in Alicante, Spain has researched and filed for a patent at European Union

The new preservative maintain the quality and safety of different fruits, but the research was conducted on Crimson Seedless table grapes during cold storage and subsequent shelf life. Table grapes, once harvested, show a reduction of shelf life due to a rapid loss of quality. Uncoated clusters showed a rapid deterioration with an estimated shelf life period of 7 days at 1 degrees C plus 4 days at 20 degrees C, based on the fast weight loss, color changes, accelerated softening and ripening, rachis browning, and high incidence of berry decay.

Textile Sector

From time to time, the textile and apparel industry is showing new developments with the use of aloe vera into new products. Most know usage is in some Southeast asian nationas, Germany and France, where aloe is encapsulated and then being used to manufacture special sanitized fabrics for use in apparels, mattresses and other textile products.

Additional information can be obtained by mail at Aloetrade America e-mail

Oil and Gas Sector

Recent researchs found Aloe resins are useful as an anti-corrosive agent in oil and gas pipelines. First experiences are being held in Venezuela for that purpose, between Petroleos de Venezuela research area and a local university. When confirmed in this use, aloe by-products usage is expected to have heavy demand increases in various oil producing countries, primarily in Latin America at the begining.

Additional information can be obtained by mail at Aloetrade America e-mail