Collagen hydrolysate for use to improve the health of human skin, hair and/or nails

A collagen hydrolysate for use to improve the health of human skin, hair and/or nails,

• wherein the collagen hydrolysate is derived from mammals or poultry,
• wherein the collagen hydrolysate is produced by the consecutive action of at least two metalloproteases and/or serine proteases with a different specificity,
• wherein at least 90% by weight of the collagen hydrolysate has a molecular weight of less than 3,500 Da,
• wherein the collagen hydrolysate comprises at least four characteristic peptides, the at least four characteristic peptides comprising a peptide having a molecular weight of between 620 and 690 Da, a peptide having a molecular weight of between 790 and 860 Da, a peptide having a molecular weight of between 980 and 1,050 Da and a peptide having a molecular weight of between 1,175 and 1,245 Da, and
• wherein the at least four characteristic peptides, in a molecular weight distribution determined by MALDI mass spectroscopy, have an intensity of at least twice the intensity of their surroundings, the MALDI mass spectroscopy being carried out by adjusting a sample of the collagen hydrolysate in 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid to a final concentration of 10 μg/μl, purifying the adjusted sample using μC18-material, preparing the sample with an alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (HCCA) matrix on a MALDI target, and determining a mass spectrum of the sample using a TOF/TOF mass spectrometer.