• GreenGrown-GCS combines fermentation-derived glucosamine and chondroitin in a 66.20% to 33.80% blend.
• The supplier offers the animal-free ingredient in bulk or as veggie capsules for supplement brands.

Ethical Naturals, a Novato, California-based botanical ingredient supplier and finished-product manufacturer, launched GreenGrown-GCS on October 9 as an animal-free glucosamine and chondroitin blend for joint-health supplements.

The formula contains 66.20% glucosamine hydrochloride and 33.80% chondroitin sulfate. Ethical Naturals designed it for a size 00 capsule delivering 500 mg of glucosamine and 220 mg of chondroitin, and said brands can source the blend in bulk or as finished vegetable capsules.

Both components are made through fermentation, replacing the shellfish and bovine materials commonly used for these ingredients. The company said development focused on achieving a consistent commercial source of fermentation-derived chondroitin with a uniform molecular-weight profile. That manufacturing route also makes the blend suitable for vegan, kosher and halal formulations.

Ethical Naturals said it tests glucosamine with an ion-selective chromatographic technique and chondroitin through an enzymatic high-performance liquid chromatography method. The supplier also operates a U.S. testing laboratory and offers encapsulation, bottling and finished-product services at a solar-powered facility certified to NSF/ANSI 455-2.

The launch extends Ethical Naturals’ GreenGrown line, which began with vegetable-source glucosamine in 2009. Adding fermentation-derived chondroitin gives supplement brands a pre-set combination that can move from bulk ingredient procurement into the company’s capsule and bottling operations.