(Hong Kong, 6 December 2016) - Vitargent is very proud to be appointed by World Green Organization (WGO) as their technical support provider for the Hong Kong’s first ever “White List” of baby personal care products which have passed biological analysis, chemical tests, and international ingredient standards.
Vitargent provides technical support on biological analysis and ingredients checking on this meaningful project which elevates product safety testing standards. The biological test measures the level of Estrogen Equivalent Concentration in a product. This is important to measure as too much can affect hormones in the body and disrupt the endocrine system which will “consequently cause adverse health effects in an intact organ” (World Health Organisation, 2002). Through a combination of chemical and biological effect-based methods, WGO aims to determine whether the product is safe for human consumption. Vitargent’s technology stays ahead of regulation and acts as a first line of defense when it comes to safeguarding against harmful chemicals.
“Safety of the products is definitely the top priority when making a purchase decision. We are convinced that incorporating our patented technology during the product testing can enhance the product and food safety, thereby boosting the confidence of the customers. ” Vitargent CEO Mr. Jimmy Tao said.
“Estrogenic Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals” disrupts estrogen endocrine system and has been linked to cancer, infertility, early puberty and neurological disorders. Vitargent has genetically modified the medaka with jellyfish DNA so they glow fluorescent green when exposed to Estrogenic Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals. The stronger the chemicals, the brighter they glow.
The current government regulations only require companies to comply with ingredient standards. Products cannot contain more than a certain measurement of specific chemical concentration. However, this type of testing is not enough as only a small fraction of chemicals have been evaluated fully for potential human health effects according to the USEPA. Out of the 87,000 chemicals detected in 2006, “there is limited basic toxicity information for many chemicals”. This is because there is no single entity that measures the number of chemicals used commercially, let alone one that tests the toxicity of them.
In addition, chemical testing only tests for specific chemicals. It does not take into account other factors such as chemical reactions that occur when ingredients are mixed together. In order to figure out how baby personal care products affect the human body, biological and effect-based methods must supplement chemical tests.
“Vitargent is always committed to raising the overall testing standard and assuring consumers of product safety. With our V-Mark certification scheme, it gives customers’ confidence as the products are audited by a third party certification body.” Vitargent Founder & Chief Commercial Officer Eric Chen said.
The “White List” is a three-year project led by WGO and Vitargent will continue to support this project to enable consumers to make an informed purchase decision.
Vitargent is a graduated company of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation's (HKSTP) Incubation Programme. The company's R&D laboratory is headquartered in the Hong Kong Science Park. Andrew Young, Chief Commercial Officer of HKSTP said that the company’s R&D solution significantly raises safety standards and provides an extremely effective solution for dealing with one of the main issues on food safety in modern society. "The core technology of Vitargent is the result of university research in Hong Kong, and we are delighted to see that the innovation and technology ecosystem in Hong Kong succeed in assisting local universities to accelerate technology transfer and commercialise their R&D achievements, which will bring economic and social benefits to society. We will continue to support Vitargent and other companies in the I&T ecosystem so as to propel Hong Kong forward in its pursuit towards becoming a knowledge-based economy. "
