Understanding Tea
Tea’s Effects on Odors: Examples and Practical Applications
Tea has been known to have various effects on odors, and here are three examples:
- Effect on Halitosis
Halitosis, or bad breath, is caused by the remains of food in the mouth and bacteria generated in the oral cavity. Green tea catechins have been reported to kill the smell of foods by combining with elements like allyl sulfide in garlic and tri-methylamin in fish. They can also directly combine with Mechirumekabutane, one of the causes of halitosis, and eliminate its odor. Green tea catechins can also kill the bacteria that cause halitosis and control their adhesion to teeth or breeding. These effects of green tea catechins have been put into practical use, as they are added to chewing gum and pills to control bad breath.
- Effect on Room Odor and Aldehyde
Green tea catechins also have an effect on ammonia smell, which causes room odor, and home-aldehyde produced from plywood, a building material. Aldehyde is known to combine with flavin-3-all, such as green tea catechins. This function is utilized in anti-odor filters for air conditioning.
- Effect on Livestock Feces
Feeding livestock foods containing green tea polyphenols can change the composition of bacteria in their feces, leading to reduced fecal odor.
Overall, the practical applications of green tea catechins in controlling odors are increasing. Adding green tea to various products could be an effective way to eliminate bad smells.