SBIR Phase I: Food Antioxidants (AOs) With or Without Estrogenic Activity (EA)

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will confirm that it is feasible to identify food antioxidants (AOs) to make formulations that have no detectable estrogenic activity (EA) or anti-EA (EA-Free) or have well-specified levels of EA (EA-Specified AO formulations). This project is innovative because food AOs have not previously been examined for levels of EA, especially after common-use-stresses of sterilizing or microwaving. CertiChem is uniquely qualified to develop and commercialize EA-free/EA-specified AO formulations because of its exclusive patents and experience in bringing EA-Free products to market. The broader impacts of this research are that CertiChem's data show that most current food AOs have EA in unknown concentrations. CertiChem proposes to develop AO formulations that are EA-Free or have well-specified levels of EA. Chemicals having EA at concentrations used in foodstuffs (mM to uM) often have adverse effects on mammals, including humans. Fetal or juvenile mammals are especially sensitive to effects of chemicals having EA at very low dosages (nM to pM concentrations). Conversely, some conditions in adult humans (e.g., menopause, some cancers or abnormalities of the prostate) are probably ameliorated by chemicals having well-specified levels of EA. CertiChem is raising consumer awareness by actively working with NGOs and legislators to educate the public on health risks or benefits associated with chemicals that have EA. Significant consumer demand for EA-Free products or EA-Specified products is already observed.