Green tea catechin EGCg has inactivating effects against viruses. However, it has a strong antioxidant effect and highly susceptible to oxidative deterioration and lack storage stability.
HPG Co., Ltd. (Chuo-ku, Tokyo) has successfully developed a water-soluble formulation technology of highly concentrated catechin EGCg (Epigallocatechin gallate) with excellent storage stability and initiated procedures for a patent application for the technology to stabilize the product at a high concentration in aqueous solution.
Green tea catechin EGCg has inactivating effects against viruses. However, it has a strong antioxidant effect and highly susceptible to oxidative deterioration and lack storage stability. The new formulation overcomes this problem by stabilizing a high concentration in water and prevents the virus from entering cells by binding to viral proteins against various repeatedly mutating viruses such as influenza and novel coronaviruses. It is stabilized at a high concentration of 10,000 ppm, and the concentration can be easily adjusted by dilution. All components are edible food additives and can be taken by people of all ages for oral care.
In addition, there is almost no damage to the original taste, aroma or color of existing products due to astringency, bitterness or discoloration peculiar to catechin EGCg, and the product can be used in a variety of fields. Since it is highly effective against bacteria as well as viruses, it can be used as a substitute for alcohol-based hand sanitizers in the kitchen, food handling, and as a preventive measure against humans and bird and swine flus.
