Organic Mosquito Repellent Takes On Zika At Rio Olympics
Aug. 5, 2016
A U.S. Olympic gymnast will use a new organic mosquito repellent while in Brazil to protect against the Zika virus.
The country hosting this year’s Summer Olympics is also the epicenter of the mosquito-carried Zika virus, according to an article in the Cincinnati Business Courier, and at least one athlete headed to Brazil for the games will protect himself and his family with a new organic based mosquito repellent. U.S. gymnast Jake Dalton has reportedly signed an endorsement deal with Fit Organic, a company led by a former Proctor & Gamble executive who purchased the brand from P&G.
Fit Organic’s repellent uses two key ingredients: organic lemongrass grown in Nepal and organic oleic acid derived from sunflowers grown in the United Kingdom. According to the CEO of Fit Organic (who is also a chemical engineer) quoted in the article, the product is the “first certified organic repellent scientifically proven as effective as DEET for up to three hours yet safe for pregnant women and children.” In a competition within the competition, P&G is reportedly one of the major sponsors of the Summer Olympics but rival S.C. Johnson’s “Off” brand is the official supplier of bug spray to the games.
