Citricidal was demonstrated to be effective against more than 800 bacterial and viral strains, 100 strains of fungus and a large number of single or multicellular parasites. They went ahead and packaged the extract under the brand name Citricidal. In the 1960s Dr Harich and his colleagues at the University of Florida found that the extract showed significant action on a broad spectrum of bacteria, fungi and protozoa. Wondering at the bitterness of the seed, he proceeded to test the aqueous extract on various microbes after he moved to the USA. It took a Germany-educated Yugoslav physicist-turned-doctor Dr Jacob Harich to kick-start research into the processed fruit. Grapefruit oil – like other citrus peel oils- has been widely used as an insecticide for its action against ticks, mosquitos and possibly bedbugs 6. In the West, its popularity as a breakfast fruit rose when it was alleged to help in weight loss and have diuretic effects 4. In traditional Chinese medicine, the fruit was considered to be a ‘cooling’ food for individuals with high rates of metabolism 3. The bitter-sweet taste with a mild citrus tang added some complexity to salads or was simply eaten with salt and chilli powder. Like other citrus fruits that are indigenous to South Asia, Citrus paradisi was grown for its pulp. ![]() Made using the extracts of grapefruit seeds and pulp, it is as gentle as a preservative can be and fully biodegradable. Grapefruit seed extract is an ideal preservative due to its antibacterial and antifungal properties. Used in: Cleanse, Nourish and Enrich Why? Here, the naturally occurring or radiation-induced mutants with redder and sweeter pulp have been selected for cultivation 2. Grapefruit cultivation has been pursued seriously in the states of Florida and Texas in the USA. Today, the fruit is cultivated in several countries that have at least some regions of tropical weather such as USA, Brazil and Israel. Now, however, Barbados showcases the grapefruit as one of its ‘wonders’. Whether or not Barbados is the Garden of Eden is debatable but early explorers who were wary of the bitter-sweet fruit went so far as to call it the ‘Forbidden Fruit’. In 1828, the Scottish botanist James Macfayden christened the fruit Citrus paradisi, possibly after the beauty of the island. The hybrid species that emerged retained the size and fruiting pattern of the pomelo, while keeping some of the sweetness of the orange. A couple of centuries later, the pomelo ( Citrus grandi) landed there thanks to a Captain Shaddock of the erstwhile East India Company. It appears that Christopher Columbus introduced the sweet orange as the first citrus species on the island in the 15 th century. The origin of the grapefruit has been traced to the Caribbean island of Barbados. The fruit is also called Citrus maxima for its large size 1. Commonly called the ‘grapefruit’ or Citrus racemose because of the clustered grape-like fruiting pattern, it is not as sweet as the parent orange. Introducing Citrus paradisiĬitrus paradisi is a naturally occurring hybrid of Citrus grandi (the pomelo) and Citrus sinensis (sweet orange). This is why it is necessary to find out the truth behind this citrus seed extract. The griffin+row Cleanse, Nourish and Enrich formulations are fortified with grapefruit seed extract. ![]() ![]() Yet this bitterness that seeps into the pulp from the seeds has immense medicinal value and is included in several natural product formulations. The grapefruit, a popular breakfast fruit in the West, is often discarded for its bitter taste.
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