The present invention is the storage of biologically active natural ingredients in carbonated water. In a specific embodiment, the present invention is the storage in carbonated water of animal tissue containing type II collagen. Such type II collagen is useful for alleviating the symptoms of arthritis in mammals as well as the treatment of arthritis in mammals. Such type II collagen is also useful for the prevention of arthritis in mammals. The present invention is also a method for the preparation of a nutritional supplement that includes the steps of: (a) separating animal tissue containing water-insoluble, undenatured type II collagen from animal tissue not containing type II collagen (b) subdividing and sterilizing said tissue under conditions which do not change the original structure of the type II collagen to produce a subdivided and sterilized product (c) packaging the subdivided and sterilized product in carbonated water.
