Kao Corporation aiming to develop lactic acid-based hand care products with long-lasting antimicrobial properties based on latest research into the hand barrier.
Its research uncovered that lactic acid found on human hands can protect against bacteria and viruses such as the common cold and influenza.
The study revealed that human hands are naturally equipped with a barrier function to reduce bacteria and viruses that cause infectious diseases
The main component of this barrier was lactic acid contained in sweat secreted from the hands, leading researchers to believe it is crucial to antimicrobial activity.
The researchers evaluated hand samples from the 54 volunteers to identify the compounds responsible for the antibacterial and antiviral activity.