Collagen in Beverages: What You Can and Can’t Put on the Label According to ANVISA
- Total Ingredientes
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
A practical guide to using collagen in beverages, communicating value to consumers, and staying compliant with regulations.
The global hydrolyzed collagen market reached USD 2.72 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow to USD 7.58 billion by 2034, expanding at an annual rate of 12% (Fortune Business Insights). In Brazil, RTD protein beverages grew 40.5% in volume in the first half of 2025 alone (Scanntech). Collagen has established itself as one of the most sought-after ingredients among consumers looking for beauty, longevity, and wellness through nutrition.
For the beverage industry, this represents a rare opportunity. Collagen has strong brand recognition, a direct connection to the beauty from within concept, scientific evidence supporting skin and joint health, and creates room for premium product positioning on packaging. Few ingredient categories combine this many value drivers at once.
The key question is how to label it properly to capture that value without falling into regulatory non-compliance.
The Most Common Market Mistake
Many collagen-containing products reaching retail shelves make a labeling mistake that often goes unnoticed until inspection occurs.
The mistake is simple: manufacturers add collagen to a beverage, see the increase in protein content in the nutrition facts panel, and then communicate “source of protein” on the packaging.
Intuitively, this makes sense.
From a regulatory perspective, it does not.
To understand why, it is necessary to understand collagen biochemistry. Collagen has an atypical amino acid profile, with high concentrations of glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline (precisely the amino acids linked to the functional benefits associated with skin and joint health). However, collagen contains no tryptophan, one of the nine essential amino acids, and is deficient in methionine, cystine, and tyrosine.
Under PDCAAS, the metric used by ANVISA to evaluate protein quality, the absence of tryptophan reduces the score to zero. The method is determined by the lowest score among all essential amino acids. Without tryptophan, the score is zero regardless of how much collagen is present in the formulation.
ANVISA’s Official Position
To clarify this issue directly at the source, Total Ingredientes submitted a formal inquiry to ANVISA. The response, registered under Protocol ANVISA-2026127073, was clear and helped establish a safe labeling strategy.
According to the agency, “hydrolyzed collagen is a consolidated food ingredient and may be added to conventional foods for the purpose of increasing protein content.”
In other words, using collagen in beverages is legitimate, expected, and compliant.
However, ANVISA also stated that “collagen is not a high biological value protein and therefore does not meet the minimum essential amino acid quantities established in Annex XXI of IN No. 75/2020.”
The practical consequence is straightforward: adding collagen alone does not qualify a product for protein-related nutritional claims on the label.
The agency also clarified that expressions such as “added collagen protein,” “collagen-enriched beverage,” and “with collagen” are considered nutritional claims under RDC 429/2020. Their use requires compliance with minimum protein composition criteria.
What Can Appear on the Label
The good news is that there are legitimate ways to communicate value to consumers.
Declare collagen in the ingredient list
When collagen is used, listing it in the ingredients is mandatory. This alone already communicates its presence to consumers actively looking for collagen-containing products. Consumer recognition of collagen as an ingredient is high due to years of exposure through the supplement market.
Build the concept through brand communication
The beauty from within positioning, visual identity, product naming, packaging narrative, and digital communication can all explore the collagen universe without making protein claims.
What is not allowed is leading consumers to believe the product is a source of complete protein.
Use ANVISA-approved functional claims
ANVISA allows functional claims such as “supports skin health maintenance” for bioactive collagen peptides with specific dossiers that have been submitted and approved under IN 28/2018.
This route applies to products regulated as dietary supplements and requires the ingredient to have individual approval in the positive list.
What Cannot Appear on the Label (Without Complementation)
For products in which collagen is the only protein source, regulation closes several doors.
The following claims cannot be used:
“Source of protein” and variations such as “high in protein” or “protein-rich”
Expressions suggesting collagen is a complete protein
Statements comparing the product’s protein quality to foods containing high biological value proteins
Any communication that may lead consumers to interpret the product as nutritionally adequate in both protein quantity and quality
When the Goal Is a Truly Functional Protein Beverage
For brands aiming to develop a beverage that can legitimately communicate protein claims, there is a more advanced technical route.
Food engineering makes it possible to combine hydrolyzed collagen with essential amino acids, especially tryptophan, lysine, methionine, and threonine, or with BCAAs such as leucine, isoleucine, and valine.
When these additions are calculated to raise the PDCAAS of the final protein blend above 0.9, the product meets the protein quality criteria established by RDC 54/2012.
Combined with quantity requirements (minimum 6g per serving for “source of protein” or 12g for “high protein”), the “Source of Protein” claim becomes valid.
The result is a product capable of communicating both “Source of Protein” and contains hydrolyzed collagen.
Two consumer markets—functional nutrition and beauty from within—supported by one formulation and strong regulatory foundations.
This is the strategy that delivers the highest value per milliliter for brands competing in the premium functional beverage segment.
This route requires support from an experienced regulatory team and precise formulation calculations. It is not a simple ingredient addition. It is a product engineering project.
Why TAZCol Instant Is the Right Collagen for This Strategy
Regardless of the labeling route chosen, selecting the right hydrolyzed collagen has a direct impact on product performance.
TAZCol Instant by Total Ingredientes was specifically developed for beverage applications.
It is a hydrolyzed collagen stable at acidic pH levels (between 2.8 and 4.5), withstands UHT and pasteurization processes without clouding or precipitation, dissolves instantly in cold liquids, and has a 100% neutral taste.
This enables applications that many other collagens cannot support, including functional soft drinks, energy drinks, fortified juices, clear protein waters, and RTDs.
It does not compromise visual appearance, does not require masking agents to correct residual taste, and remains stable throughout shelf life ranging from 12 to 18 months.
For brands seeking to use collagen as a differentiating ingredient in modern beverages with premium positioning and industrial-grade performance, TAZCol Instant addresses the most challenging part of the process: reaching consumers with the technical integrity needed to support label claims.
Conclusion
Collagen is one of the most relevant ingredients in the beverage market in 2026, and the opportunity is real.
Labeling challenges do not reduce this opportunity. They simply require planning before formulation rather than improvisation afterward.
ANVISA’s formal response confirmed that collagen can and should be used in beverages to enrich products and attract consumers focused on beauty, joint health, and wellness.
What is not permitted is claiming “Source of Protein” when collagen is the only protein in the formula.
For brands seeking this claim, amino acid complementation with proper regulatory support is the solution.
The most common mistake today is not adding collagen to beverages.
It is designing the label after finalizing the formulation.
Brands that reverse this logic gain the opportunity to build products with stronger positioning and real differentiation.
Want to Understand the Best Collagen Strategy for Your Next Beverage Formulation?
Contact the technical team at Total Ingredientes to learn more about TAZCol Instant and evaluate the best application for your product.
References
ANVISA. Response to technical inquiry. Protocol ANVISA-2026127073. June 2026.
ANVISA. RDC No. 429, October 8, 2020. Nutritional Labeling of Packaged Foods.
ANVISA. IN No. 75, October 8, 2020. Technical requirements for nutritional claims declaration (Annexes XX and XXI).
ANVISA. RDC No. 54, November 12, 2012. Complementary Nutritional Information.
ANVISA. IN No. 28, July 26, 2018. List of constituents, claims, and labeling requirements for dietary supplements.
Fortune Business Insights. Hydrolyzed Collagen Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis. 2025–2034.
Mordor Intelligence. Collagen Peptides Market and Ready-to-Drink Protein Beverages Market. 2025–2030.
Scanntech. RTD protein beverages in Brazilian retail. H1 2024 vs H1 2025.
