Carya illinoinensis nut shell extract, a very valuable cosmetic ingredient

Carya illinoinensis (pecan) nuts are widely used in the food industry. More than 60 thousand tons of shelled pecan nuts were sold in the United States alone in 2023 (nass.usda.gov). The shells represent 40% to 50% of the pecan weight [ 1 ] and are considered as wastes. However, pecan shells are known to be rich in polyphenols and tannins [ 1 ] [ 2 ] but at this time only some low-added-value valorizations have been described. For example, they can be used for bioenergy production [ 3 ] or to remove pollutants from water [ 4 ]. Very few studies have been conducted for high-added-value applications, such as cosmetics, although anti-oxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal properties have been previously reported from pecan shells for medical applications [ 2 ]. Based on these properties, we decided to develop an extract rich in tannins that could be used in cosmetic products. We then investigated various cosmetic properties of this shell extract and we demonstrated that this extract exhibited many properties of value for cosmetics. Among them, it showed good antioxidant activities on keratinocytes and we also highlighted for the first time antiageing properties for Carya illinoinensis shell extract, thanks to cellular assays on fibroblasts. Therefore, Carya illinoinensis shell extract can be used as a very valuable cosmetic ingredient. Publication History Article published online: 05 March 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany