Undenatured Type II Collagen

Undenatured type II collagen is a standardised cartilage concentrate made from chicken (Gallus gallus) sternal cartilage under low-temperature, low-shear conditions, so that the triple-helical structure of the type II collagen survives processing intact. It is the opposite of a collagen peptide: nothing is hydrolysed and nothing is gelatinised, and the entire value of the ingredient sits in conformational epitopes that exist only while the helix stays folded. Type II collagen is the fibrillar collagen of hyaline cartilage, a homotrimer of three alpha-1(II) chains, and because the concentrate carries the surrounding cartilage matrix with it, naturally occurring chondroitin sulphate and hyaluronic acid come along as co-extractives. The article carries the generic collagen identifier CAS 9007-34-5, but it is a defined cartilage preparation rather than a discrete chemical, and it is therefore specified analytically rather than structurally. Two numbers describe this material and they are not the same number. Total collagen, usually determined from hydroxyproline, typically runs at or above 25%, which is what produces the familiar 40 mg serving of standardised cartilage delivering roughly 10 mg of total collagen. The undenatured fraction is a separate measurement, made by ELISA against intact native type II collagen epitopes, and published characterisation work comparing commercial powders has found wide variation in fibre morphology and antigenic configuration between suppliers. Undenatured figures in the market span roughly 3% to 10% with no industry-wide standard behind the label, so the two figures should never be conflated on a purchase specification. Thovek declares the ELISA figure lot by lot rather than quoting a category number, supported by SDS-PAGE and thermal identity checks. Buyers replicating a specific published serving should write the ELISA minimum they need into the specification rather than assume it. Because the whole specification rests on an intact helix, heat is the main processing risk. This material suits two-piece capsules, tablets pressed under controlled temperature and cold-blended powders; it is not for hot-fill beverages, extrusion or baking, and it should be stored below 25 degrees C away from humidity. Origin declarations matter commercially here. The ingredient is poultry-derived, so it is neither vegan nor vegetarian, and it is not bovine, porcine, marine or plant. Chicken is not a listed major allergen under US or EU labelling law, but the species must still be declared to the buyer's regulatory team, and the material is free of milk, egg, soy, fish, crustacean, gluten and tree-nut inputs unless a carrier is specified. Halal and kosher certification depends on slaughter documentation for the flock and is available on request. Every lot ships with a certificate of analysis carrying total collagen, the ELISA undenatured figure, moisture, contaminant and microbiological results, alongside SDS, allergen, species-origin and BSE/TSE statements.