Sometimes the cure is worse than the problem. This is often the case in combating pests with traditional pesticides. The harm that traditional pesticides pose to consumers explains why the global biopesticide market—which are pesticides derived from such natural materials as animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals—is growing at 20% a year and is expected to reach $3.3 billion in revenue in 2014.
Israel-based Organis has developed an edible insect repellent based on the turmeric plant. The turmeric plant is found in Southeast Asia and is used as a key ingredient in dishes such as Thai curry. However, turmeric also has active ingredients that repel insects and pests.
Organis has a patented process related to modulating the intensity and duration of the turmeric-based repellent by way of adjusting the quantities, combination and active ingredients in its proprietary insect repellent.
Organis has developed three delivery methods for its turmeric insect repellent. One is an aerosol that is suitable for kitchens, eating establishments, factories and packaging houses of all sizes. The other delivery mechanisms consist of applying the repellent to cardboard boxes for the food industry and on multilayer plastic sheets for food packaging.
Turmeric has been classified by the Food and Drug Administration as Generally Recognized as Safe. Importantly, Organis’s solutions repel, not kill, insects. Further, the use of Organis’s turmeric insect repellent poses no unpleasant aroma issues.Edible Insect Repellent,