The present invention relates to a composition comprising 2-benzylheptanol (Jasmol, CAS 92368-90-6) for reducing malodor, preferably a musty and/or mouldy malodor, methods for producing such a composition and the use of such a composition. Furthermore, the present invention relates to preparations containing such a composition, methods for producing such preparations and their use.
Washing and cleaning of clothes and laundry plays an important role for daily hygiene and wellbeing. Typically, a fresh, neutral and clean odor of the clothes/laundry after the washing or cleaning process is expected. Under certain conditions of daily life, the cleaned/washed clothes/laundry showed a musty, mouldy malodor after being washed or cleaned. This musty, mouldy malodor can also be described as cellar-like or like a wet, used floor cleaning cloth. It can be formed by slowly drying of the clothes/laundry under high humidity or when the wet clothes/laundry remains in the washing machine after the washing for some time.
Such musty, mouldy malodor has different causes. Microorganisms in the washing machine or on the fabric may metabolize remaining ingredients of the cleaning/washing liquor after cleaning/washing and form odor active compounds. Further odor actives can be formed by chemical or enzymatic degradation processes. Such odor actives usually provide the musty, mouldy malodor remaining on the clothes/laundry.
In the state of the art, a possibility to prevent the formation of this malodor is to use cleaning/washing temperatures of higher than 60° C. and washing detergents with oxidizing agents and/or higher amounts of strong antimicrobial active compounds, like Triclosan, cationic surfactants or silver salts. However, not all of the clothes/laundry is suited to be washed at such high temperatures. Furthermore, the use of antimicrobials is highly discussed because of their biodegradability and as they trigger the formation and enrichment of multi-resistant microorganisms in the washing machine or on the clothes/laundry. As the clothes/laundry will subsequently be in contact with human skin, typically for a long time, the use of antimicrobials in cleaning/washing of clothes/laundry, especially when risking the formation and enrichment of multi-resistant microorganisms, needs to be carefully considered.
There is thus still a need for compositions reducing such malodor, which can be used at lower washing temperature and without strong antimicrobials, such as Triclosan, cationic surfactants or silver salts. Additionally, the compositions need to be mainly active on the clothes/laundry and in the washing machine, instead of applying its effect on e.g. only the cleaning/washing liquor while being stored.
Compounds like Jasmol (2-benzylheptanol, CAS 92368-90-6) are used as antimicrobial active substance in cosmetic products, e.g. deodorants, antiperspirants (EP 1738803 A1) or as aromatic substance in perfume oils (Scognamiglio et al., Fragrance material review on 2-benzylheptanol, Food and Chemical Toxicology (2012), 50(Suppl. 2), S256-S258 CODEN: FCTOD7; ISSN: 0278-6915).
In the state of the art, BHT (3,5-Di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxytoluol, CAS 128-37-0) is used as antioxidant in cosmetic products or products for household, perfumery, food etc.
However, the products used in the state of the art are typically designed to almost completely remove microorganism from the clothes/laundry and/or also from the washing machine. Therefore, high concentrations of the included substances (i.e. antimicrobial active compounds like Triclosan, cationic surfactants or silver salts) are required. Such sub-stances/compositions will most likely cause the problems described above.
Therefore, a composition with much lower concentrations or without the use of such strong antimicrobial active compounds is required.
The object of the present invention was therefore to provide a composition for reducing malodor which is active on the clothes/laundry and/or in the washing machine and which contains only a low concentration or none of such strong antimicrobial active compounds.
The object described above is solved by a composition according to the invention for reducing malodor, preferably a musty and/or mouldy malodor, preferably of fabric, clothes and/or laundry, comprising or consisting of
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the composition according to the invention is a liquid or a solid under standard conditions. Standard conditions are meant to be understood as 25° C. and a pressure of 1 bar.
As a liquid or solid under standard conditions, such compositions can advantageously be used as or in e.g. washing or cleaning agents.
In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the composition comprises water in a total amount of 0.0000001 to 90 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the composition.
Water as a component of the composition according to the invention can serve as a solvent and thus facilitate mixing the different components of the composition according to the invention. Furthermore, it may facilitate mixing such a composition into a further composition/product in which it may be used.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for producing a composition according the invention, comprising or consisting of the following steps:
An alternative aspect of the present invention relates to a method for producing a composition according to the invention and comprising water in a total amount of 0.0000001 to 90 wt.-%, based on the total weight of the composition, as described above, comprising or consisting of the following steps:
Another aspect of the present invention relates to the use of a composition according to the invention as an anti-malodor agent, preferably for fabric, clothes and/or laundry, preferably in laundry care products.
Compositions according to the invention are used anti-malodor agents. Such malodors are typically found on cleaned/washed clothes/laundry, often showing a musty, mouldy malodor after being washed or cleaned. These malodors arise from the metabolization of remaining ingredients of the cleaning/washing liquor after cleaning/washing, resulting in the formation of odor active compounds. Additionally, chemical or enzymatic degradation may raise or trigger such effect.
Therefore, it is advantageous that the composition according to the invention can be used as an anti-malodor agent, especially on fabric, clothes and/or laundry and particularly in laundry care products.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to a preparation comprising or consisting of
As in one embodiment of the invention, the composition according to the invention may be used for cleaning/washing or may be mixed into preparations for cleaning/washing, it is of particular advantage that these preparations further include surface active compounds (i.e. surfactants), which further provide a cleaning/washing function or a support therein.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the preparation according to the invention is a laundry care product, preferably wherein the preparation is a laundry care product selected from the group consisting of liquid detergent, heavy duty liquid detergent, high-pH liquid detergent, powder detergent, heavy duty powder detergent, detergent bar, fabric softener, fabric softener concentrate, water softener powder, water softener tab, water softener gel, bleach, spot remover, laundry hygiene and pre-wash detergent.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, the total amount of the composition according to the invention in the preparation is sufficient to provide an anti-malodor effect, preferably wherein the total amount of composition according to the invention in the preparation, based on the total weight of the preparation, is 0.05 to 10 wt.-%, preferably 0.05 to 5 wt.-%, more preferably 0.05 to 3 wt.-%, particularly preferably 0.1 to 1 wt.-%.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the weight ratio of the total amount of composition according to the invention in the preparation to the total amount of surface active compound(s) in the preparation is in the range of 1:1600 to 10:1, preferably 1:1600 to 5:1, more preferably 1:800 to 3:1.
Common products used in the state of the art are typically designed to almost completely remove microorganisms from the clothes/laundry and/or also from the washing machine. Therefore, high concentrations of the included substances (i.e. antimicrobial active compounds like Triclosan, cationic surfactants or silver salts) are required in such products. The use of such compounds needs to be carefully considered, as they might trigger the formation and the enrichment of multi-resistant microorganisms when used and show considerable disadvantages caused by their biodegradability when used e.g. in cleaning/washing or laundry care. Additionally, as the clothes/laundry will subsequently be in contact with human skin, typically for a long time, a low concentration of active substances is beneficial.
It is thus a clear advantage of the composition according to the invention and a preparation according to the invention comprising such a composition that the active ingredients may be used in rather low concentrations. Therefore, the problems and risks arising from high concentrations in typical products in the state of the art can be critically reduced.
As can be derived from the examples below, the combination of Jasmol and BHT provides a synergistic effect in reducing malodor.
Another aspect of the present invention relates to the use of such a preparation, as described above, as an anti-malodor agent, preferably for fabric, clothes and/or laundry.
An even further aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a preparation according to the invention, comprising or consisting of the following steps:
Another aspect of the present invention is the use of a composition according to the invention or of a preparation according to the invention, preferably of a laundry care product as defined above, to reduce and/or modify a malodor, preferably a musty and/or mouldy malodor, preferably of fabric, clothes and/or laundry, preferably during and/or after washing of said fabric, clothes and/or laundry.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the composition according to the invention or the preparation according to the invention, preferably a laundry care product as defined above, is used at a washing temperature of 60° C. or less, preferably at a washing temperature of 45° C. or less, 40° C. or less or 30° C. or less.
In the state of the art, a possibility to prevent the formation of malodor as described above is to use cleaning/washing temperatures of higher than 60° C. and washing detergents with oxidizing agents and/or higher amounts of strong antimicrobial active compounds, like Triclosan, cationic surfactants or silver salts. However, not all of the clothes/laundry is suited to be cleaned/washed at such high temperatures and not all substances comprised in the used compositions (or preparations, where applicable) are stable at such high temperature. Therefore, it is of particular advantage that the washing temperature can be reduced to 60° C. or less, preferably 45° C. or less, 40° C. or less or 30° C. or less.
Preferred embodiments and further aspects of the present invention emerge from the attached patent claims, the figures and the following examples, the examples not being in-tended to limit the scope of the present invention.
The aim of this experiment was to investigate the ability of the inventive anti-malodor composition to reduce the intensity of the musty, mouldy malodor. The test was done in comparison with Triclosan which is a common strong active for Laundry Care products and Personal Care products, further comparing compositions 1 to 5 (references) and 6 (composition according to the invention).
Used Materials and Solutions:
The test fabric was put into an Erlenmeyer flask, each in one flask. 1 ml of each composition 1 to 6 was dropped in the middle of the test fabric. Each flask was closed with aluminum foil and stored for 48 h at room temperature. After 48 h, each flask was sensorially evaluated by an expert panel of 6 to 11 persons. The intensity of the typical musty, mouldy malodor was determined on a scale of 0 to 40. The determined malodor intensities were compared with the malodor intensity of composition 1. The percentage reduction of the malodor intensity compared to composition 1 was calculated. The results are shown in table 2.
Surprisingly, composition 6, with the combination of Jasmol and BHT and being according to the invention, showed the highest value of 85% for malodor reduction compared to composition 1, remarkably more than composition 4 and 5 with the single compounds. Composition 3 with the antimicrobial Triclosan showed low ability to reduce the malodor in contrast to composition 4 with Jasmol and composition 6 with the combination of Jasmol and BHT and being according to the invention.
In experiment B the active compositions were tested under realistic conditions in a fabric softener composition in a rinsing program. Compositions I to IV (reference) were compared to composition V (according to the invention).
Used Materials and Solutions:
Rinsed test fabric For the production of the rinsed test fabric squares, the 5 unused test fabric squares+4 kg cotton laundry were used with fabric softener in a European washing machine. For this rinsing procedure, only the rinsing program was used without the washing program. 40 g of one fabric softener composition were used for one rinsing procedure. The rinsing procedure was 5 times repeated with the same fabric softener composition and the same test fabric squares to simulate realistic-worn clothes which were washed several times. Table 3 showed the used fabric softener compositions I to V. Use the wet fabric softener squares for the experiment.
For providing the fabric softener compositions, the water is heated up to approx. 45° C. Rewoquat is added while stirring and it is heated to 50° C. When the Rewoquat is dissolved completely, first Parmetol and second Xiameter is added and dissolved. Magnesium chloride solution is added, not below 30° C., to maintain a good processing viscosity (50 m PA s). It is stirred for about 30 minutes and cooled to approx. 25° C. The other ingredients are added. The pH-value is 2.5. A Brookfield Spindle 2, Speed 60 is used for the manufacturing.
Test Procedure:
One wet fabric square of each fabric softener composition is put into an Erlenmeyer flask, each in one flask. 1 mL of the washing liquor is dropped on the fabric square in the middle of each flask. Each flask was closed with aluminum foil and stored for 48 h at room temperature. After 48 h each flask was sensorial evaluated by an expert panel of 6 to 11 persons. The intensity of the typical musty, mouldy malodor was determined on a scale of 0 to 40. The determined malodor intensities were compared with the malodor intensity of fabric softener composition I. The percentage reduction of the malodor intensity was calculated. The results are shown in table 4.
Surprisingly, fabric softener composition V, with the combination of Jasmol and BHT and being according to the invention, showed the highest value of 74% for malodor reduction compared to fabric softener composition I, remarkably more than fabric softener composition III and IV with the single compounds. Fabric softener composition II with the antimicrobial Triclosan showed a low ability to reduce the malodor in contrast to composition III with Jasmol and composition V with the combination of Jasmol and BHT and being according to the invention.
Water is heated to approx. 70° C. while being stirred. Ingredients 2 and 3 are added and dissolved in the order listed and stirred for 30 minutes without further heating. One after the other ingredients in the listed order are added and dissolved subsequently and not before the previous ingredient was dissolved. The pH value is adjusted to 9 with citric acid.
Ingredients 1 and 2 are mixed and heated up to 50° C. Ingredients 3 and 4 are added and it is stirred until soap has formed. Ingredients 5 to 10 are added in the given order and it is cooled down to 30° C. Ingredients 11 to 14 are added in the given order and the pH is adjusted to 8.5, if necessary. Subsequently, ingredients 15 to 17 are added.
The perfume composition A (Example 3), Jasmol and BHT are mixed. All further ingredients are homogenized with a kneader. The mixture of perfume composition A (Example 3), Jasmol and BHT is added and homogenized as well. Finally, a soap bar is formed by an extruder.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/EP2018/081797 | 11/19/2018 | WO | 00 |