Hemocyanin is a kind of protein that exists in the blood of animals like octopuses, scorpions, and lobsters. And as anyone who's ever eaten lobster knows, there's always a ton of extra gooey non-edible stuff left behind on your plate after you've chowed down on the chewy meat.
Apparently, this mess of liquids includes hemocyanin — and supposedly, it has some surprising potential usefulness, beyond food. From The Boston Globe:
A young Maine couple is pitching another benefit: They say a protein in the lobster's circulatory fluid, which is usually washed down the drain, can help ease skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis.
The protein, hemocyanin, is a key ingredient in the skin cream that Patrick Breeding, 27, and Amber Boutiette, 29, distribute from a bare-bones, former steel factory on the outskirts of Portland. Breeding said the protein helps lobsters fight off diseases, boosts their immune system, and plays an important role in regenerating their claws and other limbs.
So if it works for lobsters, they speculated, why not for humans?
Their business, Marin Skincare, has earned $1.1 million in revenue in less than two years, they said.
[…]
The protein is mixed with natural ingredients, including hyaluronic acid, which hydrates and repairs skin cells, Breeding said. No drugs are used in the manufacturing process, he said, which means the cream does not require approval by the Food and Drug Administration.
There's obviously a benefit in reducing waste in general. When it comes to a delicacy like lobster, it only makes sense to get the most use out of it as possible. "Human flesh moisturizer" is not exactly the first thing that would have sprung to my mind when thinking of potential uses for lobster blood, but then, I haven't earned $1.1 million in revenue in the last two years, so what do I know?
Lotion made from lobster goo? Oft-discarded byproduct fuels business dreams of Maine couple. [Brian MacQuarrie / The Boston Globe]
