Develop Softgel Products with “Gac Oil (Momordica cochinchinensis)” – A Superfruit for Health, Backed by Research

Are you looking to develop innovative dietary supplements or expand your existing brand with a standout product? Gac Oil (extracted from Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng.) is a promising natural ingredient worth your attention. Gac fruit is often called the “fruit from heaven” due to its remarkably high content of carotenoids—particularly lycopene and beta-carotene (Ishida et al., 2004; Phan-Thi & Waché, 2019)—making it an ideal choice for health-focused formulas. When formulated into Softgel supplements, Gac Oil retains its potent nutrients and offers consumers a convenient, easy-to-swallow format.

This article explores the health potential of Gac Oil, what the scientific evidence shows and how strong it is, key cautions, examples of successful Gac Oil products in global markets, and key considerations for developing Softgel supplements. Whether you’re a brand owner or an investor seeking OEM/ODM services for Softgel formulations, this comprehensive guide will give you insights into leveraging Gac Oil for market success.

Gac fruit (Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng.) is a tropical fruit found mostly in Southeast Asia. The bright-red aril (the pulp surrounding the seeds) contains high levels of carotenoids, specifically lycopene and beta-carotene, at high levels. HPLC analysis found about 2,227 µg of total lycopene and about 718 µg of total beta-carotene per gram of fresh aril, which is very high compared with common fruits and vegetables (Ishida et al., 2004). A review dedicated to gac calls it the “fruit of heaven” while warning that scientific data should be separated from unverified marketing claims (Phan-Thi & Waché, 2019).

When the Gac aril is cold-pressed or pressed into oil, the resulting Gac Oil is a source of beta-carotene, vitamin E (α-tocopherol) and essential fatty acids. A study that produced Gac Oil with manual presses in Vietnam measured about 5,700 µg/mL of total carotene, about 2,710 µg/mL of beta-carotene, and 69% unsaturated fat (Vuong & King, 2003). The fat in the aril consists of about 32% oleic acid (Omega-9), 29% palmitic acid and 28% linoleic acid (Omega-6) (Ishida et al., 2004). These fats help the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins and compounds, and a simulated digestion study found that lycopene and beta-carotene from Gac aril were more bioaccessible than those from carrot and tomato (Müller-Maatsch et al., 2017).

Nutritional and pharmacological studies show that gac is nutrient-dense and has several biological activities. Most of this work is still in cell and animal models and usually uses the aril or aril extracts rather than the oil itself; in humans, the clearest evidence is its role as a provitamin A source (Phan-Thi & Waché, 2019). Details by area:

Antioxidant Power

• Lycopene and beta-carotene are antioxidants. Laboratory tests found that gac extract has high antioxidant activity in DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays (Leevutinun et al., 2015).
• In cultured skin cells, gac extract reduced free radicals and cell death triggered by PM10 fine dust (Lee et al., 2024).

Provitamin A Source and Vision

• Beta-carotene in Gac Oil serves as a provitamin A, which the body converts into vitamin A, a nutrient essential for vision (especially in low-light conditions) and for normal skin and mucous membranes.
• A controlled trial in 185 preschool children in rural Vietnam found that eating sticky rice cooked with gac aril (xôi gấc), providing about 3.5 mg of beta-carotene per serving, for 30 days raised blood beta-carotene more than in the control group, and blood retinol (vitamin A) was significantly higher than in the control group (Vuong et al., 2002). This shows that gac is a provitamin A source the body can actually use. Note that this study used the aril in food, not Gac Oil; for the oil itself, a study found that household use of Gac Oil increased daily beta-carotene intake (Vuong & King, 2003).

Metabolism and Blood Sugar: Findings in Mice

• In type 2 diabetic mice, eating carotenoid-rich Gac aril improved fasting blood glucose, glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity and HbA1c. GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) levels rose about 2-fold, and ghrelin and adiponectin levels, which had fallen in the diabetic mice, were restored (Hsieh et al., 2024). The study used the aril, not Gac Oil, and the results still need to be confirmed in humans.
• In cultured intestinal cells, the researchers found that beta-carotene from gac stimulated GLP-1 release through sweet taste receptors, and the effect in mice was partly reduced when the GLP-1 receptor was absent, suggesting this mechanism partly explains the results (Hsieh et al., 2024).

Anti-inflammatory Activity and Cancer Cell Studies in the Laboratory

• In laboratory studies, Gac aril extract suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis (programmed cell death) in colorectal cancer cells (Praphasawat et al., 2024), breast cancer cells (Petchsak & Sripanidkulchai, 2015) and melanoma cells (Wimalasiri et al., 2020). In mice, aril extract reduced inflammation markers in liver injured by acetaminophen (paracetamol) (Lonan et al., 2025).
• These are cell and animal findings; no human study has shown that eating gac or taking Gac Oil prevents or treats cancer (see the cautions section below).

Beauty and Skincare Benefits

• Randomized controlled trials in humans found that eating lycopene-rich tomato paste (about 16 mg lycopene per day) for 10–12 weeks reduced skin redness after UV exposure (Stahl et al., 2001; Rizwan et al., 2011). For gac specifically, there are skin-cell studies (Lee et al., 2024) and a topical cream with gac extract that increased skin hydration (Leevutinun et al., 2015). No study has yet measured skin effects from taking Gac Oil orally.
• No research has yet measured effects on skin, hair or nails from taking Gac Oil, which is an opportunity for brands to run their own volunteer studies (see point 4 below).

Among various dietary supplement formats, Softgel has emerged as a favorite for Gac Oil formulations. Here’s why:

• Nutrient Preservation: Softgels shield the oil from light, air, and moisture, mitigating oxidation and preserving carotenoid content (lycopene, beta-carotene).
• Easy Swallowing, No Strong Odor: Softgel capsules are typically small and tasteless, ideal for consumers who might be averse to the strong scent or taste of conventional oils.
• Accurate Dosing: The concentration of lycopene and beta-carotene per capsule can be precisely measured, ensuring consumers receive consistent and reliable doses.
• Flexible Formulation: Brands can incorporate additional nutrients—such as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) or essential vitamins—to target various health niches beyond carotenoid-related benefits.