I was sharing a banished ingredient list the other day and this ingredient was questioned so I thought it would be the perfect time to spread a little light on why this particular ingredient made the banished list in the first place.
There have been numerous studies and tests performed on Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) by independent researchers showing the antimicrobial properties once thought to have been contained in the seeds has actually been the synthetic preservatives used during the extraction process and not the extract from the fruit pulp or seeds.
These tests also found the synthetic preservatives to contain Benzalkonium Chloride, Triclosan, and Methylparaben, which are all on the banished list due to toxicity concerns. Let's run down each one of those ingredients concerns real quick.
Benzaalkonium Chloride is a well recognized irritant and allergies can present with just 0.1% of this ingredient present. It also decreased the fertility of mice when their cages were cleaned using this ingredient.
Triclosan is a well known endocrine disruptor. It has been known to cause a decrease in thyroid production, also binding to estrogen and/or androgen receptors causing interference with the endocrine system, and it can even play a role in producing antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Methylparaben has shown some evidence of accumulating in breast tissue and may mimic estrogen acting as an endocrine disruptor.
The tests performed did find a sample that did not contain any synthetic preservatives and self made samples were also tested to eliminate the chances of other harmful ingredients being present, however the antimicrobial properties were not found in any of the samples without synthetic preservatives. These results essentially show there are no benefits to using the extract.
In conclusion, GSE made the banished list because there are far too many extracts containing synthetic preservatives and no antimicrobial benefits without the preservatives for this specific extract to be used and considered safe for toxin free products. I have included a list of sources for additional research.
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