(CNN) — Some future insect repellents could smell like grapefruit.
The EPA has approved a new ingredient – called “Nootkatone – to be used for killing and repelling insects.
The agency says that the chemical works on ticks, mosquitoes, and other insects.
“Nootkatone” is responsible for the characteristic smell of grapefruit.
And it’s already used in the fragrance industry to make perfumes and colognes.
The EPA says that mosquito and tick-borne diseases are growing and that mosquitos have become resistant to some pesticides.
Commercial products based on “Nootkatone” could be on the market by 2022.
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