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The EPA’s move allows companies to start developing products for people and pets that contains the new ingredient.
By: Akshay Syal, NBC News
August 11, 2020 – A new type of insect repellent will be making its way to drugstore shelves — and it smells like grapefruit.
Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency announced that it had approved a new ingredient, called nootkatone, that repels and kills mosquitoes and ticks. The naturally occurring ingredient — which is responsible for the characteristic scent of grapefruit — was discovered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and developed into an insecticide. It’s also found in Alaska yellow cedar trees and is widely used in the cosmetic industry to make perfumes and colognes.
In registering the new ingredient, the EPA is acknowledging that it is safe and effective, and formally giving the greenlight for companies to use nootkatone to develop new products for people and pets.