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Compounds derived from coconut oil have been found to be better than DEET, a synthetic chemical product of the "gold standard" of repellents, according to a US Department of Agriculture bulletin published Wednesday.
The release highlights a study by USDA researchers published on Sept. 19 in the journal Scientific Reports. The study found that fatty acids derived from coconut oil had long-lasting insect-repelling properties against flies, ticks, bed bugs and mosquitoes.
Lead researcher Junwei Zhu notes that compounds extracted from coconut oil – not the oil itself – were found to be effective, according to a USDA release.
"Coconut oil itself is not a repellent," the release says.
The findings are significant in part because of DEET, a chemical used as an insect repellent by the military during World War II, the study says.
"DEET is an effective repellent, but it can sometimes come with some serious side effects like rashes, disorientation and even seizures, so our experts say you should avoid products with more than 30 percent DEET," Consumer Reports "Theresa Panetta said in a 2015 postponement.
But Panetta has had many alternatives to offer, saying many "natural and herbal repellents were not very effective at all" in testing.
Zhu's study says many natural repellents quickly lose their effect on insects.
That was not the case for the coconut oil compounds, according to Zhu's research.
The USDA release says the coconut oil compounds out-preformed DEET at repeller stable flies, with an effective rate greater than 95 percent, compared with DEET's 50 percent.
The release says the coconut oil compounds, which are compared with DEET's three days of effectiveness.
However, the study notes that a much greater concentration of coconut oil is required to effectively repel mosquitoes as compared with DEET.
Study authors say they are hopeful the research could result in the development of coconut oil-based repellent products to fight diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. Coconut fatty acids are considered to be non-toxic, and are widely used in the food and cosmetic industries. "
The study also says that the results can be achieved.
A leading manufacturer of DEET did not immediately respond to a TODAY request for comment on the study.
Coconut oil has made headlines in the literature. One Harvard professor went so far to call the oil "pure poison."
Contributing: KTHV-TV, Little Rock, Ark.
Copyright 2017 USATODAY.com
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