Brazil is advancing laboratory methods to produce donkey collagen as a response to falling donkey numbers worldwide, caused by high demand for the traditional Chinese remedy ejiao. Researchers aim to create a scalable substitute by 2027 that could limit animal slaughter and help stabilize populations.
The project, based at the Federal University of Parana, uses precision fermentation. Donkey collagen DNA is inserted into microorganisms such as yeast to generate a matching protein without the need for hides or risks of contamination. The resulting material is intended to match conventional ejiao in quality while offering greater purity and safety from heavy metals or pathogens.
The team targets a system suitable for large-scale output by late 2027, supplying powdered collagen to ejiao producers through business channels. This effort addresses the industry’s annual requirement of roughly 4.8 million hides, drawn from a global population of about 53 million donkeys that reproduce slowly.
Ejiao, a product with centuries of use in China for skin and bone health, has grown into a major market with rising middle-class consumption. Historians have warned that unchecked demand could threaten most of the world’s donkeys over coming decades.
Several countries have responded with restrictions. The African Union enacted a 15-year ban on the skin trade, and Brazil prohibited donkey slaughter in 2024. Brazil’s donkey numbers have dropped sharply from 1.3 million in 1996 to around 78,000 today, though mechanization in farming has also contributed.
Animal welfare groups highlight additional concerns, including disease transmission from unregulated movement of animals and minimal processing of skins. A large seizure of smuggled hides in Hong Kong last year illustrated these risks.
A recent survey in China showed limited public knowledge of ejiao’s source and impacts, yet most respondents expressed willingness to consider lab-made versions if priced affordably. The Brazilian researchers continue to examine collagen variations across breeds and seek commercial partners to bring the technology to market.
