Firmenich patent: AKG against age-associated body odor
Firmenich SA patent CN115996696A proposes alpha-ketoglutarate as a peroxide-reducing ingredient in fragrance formulations intended to limit age-associated body odor; the available excerpt shows POV reduction in oils and fragrance materials.
Alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG), a citric-acid-cycle metabolite studied in aging research, appears in Firmenich SA patent CN115996696A ("Prevention, Reduction, or Amelioration of Old-Person Odor," priority 2020, published April 2023) as an ingredient in cosmetic and fragrance formulations targeting age-associated body odor.
Several examples in the patent add AKG to citrus oils and fragrance materials and record a drop in peroxide value (POV, a measure of organic hydroperoxide content). The proposed mechanism: AKG reacts with hydroperoxides, lowers POV, and limits the formation of malodorous lipid-oxidation products, including 2-nonenal, an aldehyde associated with age-related body odor.
The available excerpt shows POV falling in oils and fragrance materials. Whether the full patent includes tests on human skin, sensory evaluation of odor by human panels, direct measurement of 2-nonenal, specific AKG concentrations, controlled conditions, or comparison against other antioxidants is not clear from the visible text.
Full text: CN115996696A on Google Patents. More on AKG: Alpha-Ketoglutarate on Eternal Search.
The edge is specific and non-obvious: AKG is nearly always discussed as a metabolic or longevity supplement, and this patent places it in a topical formulation role against a measurable oxidation index. The evidence boundary is clean and honest, making the connection worth surfacing without overselling.