We are currently unable to translate our German website into English.
Therefore we use existing (older) translations of questions - answers for your information.
Question 1: What is Dr. Harich’s Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE)?
It is a common phenomenon in nature that the seeds of fruits have the ability to protect themselves against disintegration for quite some time. If, for instance, you bury an apple in the earth, millions of microscopic fungi and bacteria will cover the surface within seconds. After a few days, you will hardly be able to recognize the apple. The tiny intruders will now move towards the seeds. They will put up a fierce resistance against them, however. Not only do they have a strong husk, but also an additional protection consisting of highly effective chemicals such as cyanide and strychnine. But those microbes are not easily deterred, even though this attack will cost the lives of billions of their species. After a few weeks the resistance of those apple seeds will dwindle and the microbes will indulge in a feast. Only those apple seeds equipped with an especially thick and hard husk will survive and they will be the ones to start the cycle of growth anew.
Grapefruit seeds are extremely robust
With grapefruit seeds it is a different story. The grapefruit peel is very thick, but also contains completely different, extremely strong chemical antibodies such as limones, linalool, citral. Fighting against an apple takes the microbes just a few weeks, but reaching the seeds of a grapefruit requires several months. The number of micro-organisms which fall along the way is outrageous. Only the strongest will be able to make it to the seeds, thus seemingly reaching their goal. But appearances are deceiving. Although the husks of the grapefruit seeds are relatively soft in comparison to other fruits such as apples or plums, nature protects them and their genetically valuable material in a very effective way.
There are phenol and diphenol compounds that form an insurmountable barrier against fungi, germs, microbes and putrefactive bacteria. Nature equipped the “weak” grapefruit seeds with substances that are anti-microbially highly effective, forming an almost invincible barrier against micro-organisms and putrefactive bacteria. These substances consisting of flavonoids, phenol and diphenol agents belong to the bio-active parts of plants. These substances are able to fulfill various functions, in the case of the grapefruit they serve as a self-made bio-weapon against destructive micro-organisms. They protect the seeds against bacterial or fungal invasion in almost the same way as a preservative. Gardeners have known the ability of the grapefruit seed to resist the decay process for many years. Unlike other fruit seeds, grapefruit seeds are completely unsuitable for regular composting. It was this amazing fact that prompted the amateur gardener and immunologist Dr. Jakob Harich to explore the anti-microbial effect of grapefruit seeds more intensively in order to use them for human beings. It turned out that these highly anti-microbial substances in the grapefruit seeds are not poisonous for neither humans nor animals. (It is generally known, for instance, that for generations, the Australian aboriginies have been using mashed seeds of grapefruits as a remedy for all kinds of stomach and digestive disorders).
Together with other scientist, Dr. Harich intensified his research at the University of Gainsville, Florida (USA) for many, many years, before they finally succeeded in developing a bio-chemical method of extracting the substances of the grapefruit seeds in such a way that the anti-microbial effect of the whole seed remains intact. In this method of extraction, the chemical substances such as flavonoids, glycosides, polyphenols, phenols and diphenols are bound in a uniform, inseparable bio-chemical substance. This substance has been patented by Dr. Harich as “anti-microbial grapefruit extract”. This substance has the same anti-microbial effect on destructive micro-organisms as the grapefruit seeds in nature. The amazing thing is that this substance is completely non-poisonous for both humans and animals when properly used. In addition, it offers a wide range of applications for household purposes, gardening or general well-being etc.
Question 2: What is the difference between CITROSEPT containing the GSE by Dr. Harich and other GSE extracts from Germany or other countries of the EU?
Dr. Harichs GSE and the GSE extract produced by various other EU-based pharmaceutical companies are two completely different things altogether. In order to get Dr. Harich’s GSE, a patented method of extraction is applied (for a detailed description of the patent, please refer to Question 11). Let me roughly summarize the method of extraction developed by Dr. Harich: The chemical components of the seeds are being separated from the solid particles of the seeds using heat and pressure in a circulation circuit that lasts for several hours before they are combined again as the anti-microbial grapefruit extract patented as an individual bio-chemical substance.
In this connection it is very important to understand that it is the entirety of all the substances present in the seed that makes the grapefruit seeds so powerful anti-microbial and most effective against destructive micro-organisms. If you extract only a few substances, such as bio-flavonoids e.g., they might be useful, however, they will not have the same anti-microbial effect as the grapefruit seeds in its original state. This is due to the fact that the majority of the important substances will continue to remain untapped inside the seeds.
And this is exactly the “problem“ with the GSE extracts produced in Germany or France: They do not have any anti-microbial effect. But this is exactly what it is all about when your browsing through various books such as “The healing power of grapefruit seed“ or “GSE – stay healthy naturally”. The extracts sold in the EU are produced by German or other pharmaceutical companies applying a standard method of extraction; we could call it some kind of “plant extract”. However, this method is completely inappropriate for extracting all the substances present in the grapefruit seeds and receiving the entirety of them in their natural environment. This method used in EU industry will “extract“ a minute part of the flavonoid substances of the seed only. Flavonoids do have a healthy effect, they are by no means anti-microbially effective, however. Therefore, this “extract“ does not have anything to do with the “The healing power of the grapefruit seed“ described by Sharamon and Baginsky. Nevertheless, the pharmaceutical industry tries to establish this extract as the “real grapefruit extract” in the EU market with the greatest effort possible. This extract can be sold as a food supplement because it does not contain any anti-microbial or other effects which would surpass those of regular food such as an apple.
Question 3: Are there any chemical preservatives in Dr. Harich‘s GSE?
No! The German pharmaceutical industry delights in putting forward the argument that any fruit extract requires preservation. In the case of Dr. Harich’s GSE this would be complete nonsense, however. By applying the patented method of extraction of Dr. Harich all anti-microbial active substances of the grapefruit seed are being extracted. Therefore, is has a natural growth-inhibiting (preserving) effect on various mould, fungi, putrefactive bacteria and other micro-organisms. Therefore, no further preservation is required, because Dr. Harich’s GSE is a ”preservation” of its own.
Unfortunately, it is a fact that GSE opponents, the competent EU authorities and their so-called ”pharmaceutical experts“ persistently fail to acknowledge this matter. Without batting an eyelid they ignore Dr. Harich’s world-wide patent. Furthermore, they ignore the fact that the ”GSE“ produced in a standard procedure by the EU pharmaceutical companies can by no means be compared to the ”GSE” patented by Dr. Harich, as that EU produced extract is no ”anti-microbial grapefruit extract”. This extract does not have anything to do with „The healing power of the grapefruit seed“ mentioned in various publications. Due to such ignorance and the inability to take an impartial scientific view and maybe also due to a lack of knowledge in modern bio-technology the ”problem“ arises that the bio-chemical substance by Dr. Harich’s anti-microbial grapefruit extract is identified as a chemical preservative. (In the beginning, there were three agents which were identified in various German pharmaceutical laboratories; triclosan, benzalkonium chloride and benzethonium chloride; finally they agreed on two agents, i.e. benzethonim chloride and benzalkonium chloride, because their parameters are most similar to the parameters of Dr. Harich’s GSE).
How do they carry out such an analysis? Using mass spectroscopy the substance is being analysed and its special features (parameters) are noted. There is a file containing all parameters of all known substances analysed so far. Then you simply compare the values of the substance to be analysed with those of the comparative values on the file. This works very well if the substance is already known. If, however, it is a new substance it is much more difficult or not possible at all, because this substance is not part of the comparative file.
It will be totally fatal if the results are "false positives" which happens again and again in the case of Dr. Harich’s GSE (you could almost consider that as intentional, but most likely it is simply due to a lack of interest of all "scientists" at work – who would like to bite the master who supplies the food?). Therefore, they ask the question: "Does it contain benzethonium chloride?" Then they register the parameters of Dr. Harich’s GSE and compare the result with the values already stored for benzethonium chloride. Surprise, surprise: As the parameters of both substances appear to be very similar in some areas, they draw the conclusion without giving it a second thought that it must be benzethonium chloride (they only found what they had suspected it could be contained in it; it is wrong, though, but "positive", therefore, wrong positive). The differences (deviations) are considered as interferences (distortions) or ignored.
But you can judge for yourself – a single minute atom can make such a difference: the chemical substances glycerin (chem. formula C3H8O2) and propylen-glycol (chem. formula: C3H8O3) differ only in one oxygene atom. The effect is enormous, however: You can take glycerin without hesitation, whereas you would poison yourself if you took propylene-glycol. A single atom makes a big difference!
Dr. Allan Sachs, one of the most important GSE pioneers apart from Dr. Harich writes in his book The Authoritative Guide to Grapefruit Seed Extract: "Some quarternary compounds such as benzethonium chloride are poisonous as anti-microbial substances. Vitamin-B-choline (e.g. vitamin B1) is a quarterary compound, too. However, this is non-poisonous and of vital importance for maintaining neurological functions and the lipometabolism. The chemical structure of the quarterary ammonium compounds in the GSE has not been fully investigated, but it shows that they are highly effective anti-microbially while being completely non-poisonous for the human organism, if used properly.”
After doing research on GSE as a natural disinfectant and preservative for several years in the 1990s, Prof. Dr. Roger Wyatt of the University of Georgia wrote in his final report: “The lack of any clearly poisonous properties is especially striking considering the fact that GSE is very effective even in low concentrations.
Question 4: Why are you not allowed to give any dosage recommendations for Dr. Harich’s GSE? There are various documents in which GSE is recommended for ingestion?
For 15 years (from 1997 until the end of 2011) CITROSEPT containing Dr. Harich‘s GSE was sold officially as a food supplement with a dosage recommendation within the EU. There were constant supervisions and examinations performed by the food and drug agencies, however during these 15 years there were never any complaints about the extract.
But since November 2011 it is prohibited to continue selling CITROSEPT as a product intended for human consumption or food supplement within the EU.
As a producer we are not allowed to give any dosage recommendations. The agencies refer to a law passed in the EU according to which only those substances qualify for ingestion which are registered in the pharmaceutical list of the Codex Alimentarius. In 2002 the Commission of the EU introduced this law under the auspices of the German Codex Alimentarius Delegation (sponsored by pharmaceutical companies such as BASF, Bayer and Hoechst). With this law the pharmaceutical lobby managed to achieve a monopoly position in the food and health area, because a registration of “new” substances in the pharmaceutical Codex list is only possible for financially strong enterprises.
Although there were never any complaints about CITROSEPT containing Dr. Harich‘s GSE in more than 15 years and we received well over 1000 extremely positive written feedback reports, it is now prohibited according to the EU law to give any dosage recommendation or to make the impression that CITROCEPT was a food product. This is due to the fact that Dr. Harich’s antimicrobial grapefruit extract is not included in the pharmaceutical Codex list. They do not take into consideration that a product stood the test for more than 15 years and proved to be quite safe. If it is not on the list, it is prohibited.
We must be happy that we are allowed to sell CITROSEPT containing Dr. Harich’s GSE as a natural disinfectant. The characterization as “disinfectant” is not a sales trick, but as you can read in the information sheet entitled „Citrocept as an additive for natural cleanliness in the household“ GSE can be used for a wide range of applications in all areas connected to harmful micro-organisms.
Regardless of the restrictions and the harassment exerted by the health agencies of the EU, Dr. Harich’s GSE continues to be sold as a food supplement including dosage recommendation. In addition, there are “websites of friends“ who had very good experiences with Dr. Harich’s GSE and offer additional information on all questions (ref. www.citrosept.at; "Links").
Question 5: In the internet you can find various offers for GSE at very different prices. CITROSEPT seems to be a bit high-priced? Why?
The differences in prices are due to the differences in quality of the extract. Many suppliers, especially those who offer GSE on short-lived websites, often sell it at low prices. This goes especially for CIDRICIDAL and NutriBiotic. They are no GSE imitations, but also anti-microbially effective extracts. However, Dr. Harich dismissed the production process used, because the substances would be too much denaturalized during the process of extraction (for further information, please refer to our website, “Question 9”).
If you happen to return a product you ordered because you are not satisfied with it, don’t be surprised if you get it straight back, because the internet company has ceased to exist a long time ago or the postman does not even find an office at the company’s address.
Question 6: What are grapefruit seed extract imitations?
Extracts which do not have any anti-microbial effect are those we characterize as GSE iminations, because it is the special feature of the original GSE to have an anti-microbial effect! Basically, there are two reasons for the existence of GSE imitations.
Reason No. 1: The pharmaceutical lobby of the EU has known the effective performance of Dr. Harich’s GSE for a long time. In the 1980s Dr. Harich has been working together with other researchers at the Louis Pasteur Institute in France for some time in order to test his GSE with patients suffering from immune deficiency. The results were so overwhelming that the scientists were convinced that they had finally found an effective medication.
However, there was one thing they had not reckoned with: the pharmaceutical industry which was (and still is) not interested in a lasting healing method for immune deficiency. The results of this study were largely ignored by the general public and was dismissed in the pharmaceutical media as being not scientifically sound. The scientists had to be grateful that they (who were almost considered as charlatans) could keep their jobs. Until he died in 1997, Dr. Harich used to travel the world in order to lecture on the results of his research.
Just shortly after the book “The healing power of grapefruit seed“ was published in 2000, there was an immense demand for GSE. Especially in Germany, France and Switzerland the pharmaceutical lobby tried to prevent the launching of Dr. Harich’s GSE in the market; they published ads containing false statements and defamatory statements.
This lead to the Reason No. 2: As the demand was so high and the EU pharmaceutical industry wanted to ban Dr. Harich’s GSE completely from the market (and still does so today), the industry felt forced to produce an extract of its own in order to provide a GSE to the innumerous “seekers”. The EU industry uses a regular standard method for the extraction. Thus, they save the costs for the patent and the expensive production costs. As these GSE imitations do not hold up to what is described in various books (i.e. to be anti-microbial), they users will turn away from this product in frustration and will not be interested in Dr. Harich’s GSE either. In this way, they kill two birds with one stone: While they will succeed in convincing the majority of all users of the ineffectiveness of GSE, they will first of all even make juicy profits due to the rising number of prospective customers. Although all this happens more or less accidentally, no clever marketing expert could come up with a better strategy.
Question 7: Do you use organic grapefruits for CITROSEPT?
The fruits used are grown in Florida/USA. The viscous raw extract is also produced in Florida. The very thick raw substance is then processed and bottled in Austria. The producer of the viscous GSE raw material in the US (Dr. Harich’s daughter is the head of the company) declares that the grapefruits used are organically grown. However, we cannot verify this for sure, because there are no organic certification bodies in the US which are truly independent. In addition, US certificates are meaningless within the EU. If we maintained that the grapefruits were organically grown, we would quickly run into difficulties with the Austrian organic certification bodies. Therefore, we do not put “organic” on the label, (but to be honest, even in Austria, where everything is “strictly scrutinized” we find cases of abuse with this term). Each batch of grapefruit substance is elaborately tested on pesticides and foreign substances and that is sufficient for us.
The producers of GSE imitations readily use the terms “without preservatives“. This is an indirect hint that the product does not contain the patented anti-microbial grapefruit extract” by Dr. Harich. Those extracts certainly do not contain any anti-microbial substances. As I mentioned earlier the EU pharmaceutical lobbyists claim obstinately that the anti-microbial effect is due to added preservatives or pesticides. Therefore, they consider it as an „organic advantage“ that their extract does not contain any anti-microbial substances. They simply ignore the fact that Dr. Harich would have never gotten the patent for an anti-microbial grapefruit extract, if its anti-microbial effect had been caused by pesticides or preservatives. The statement that Dr. Harich’s GSE contained pesticides or preservatives is simply ridiculous and is meant to cause damage to this wonderful natural remedy.
Question 8: In the internet and in trade there are countless suppliers of GSE. As a user, how can I be sure that CITROSEPT is really the effective GSE of Dr. Harich, mentioned in various books?
When the books "The healing power of grapefruit seed“ or “GSE – stay healthy naturally" were published in the late 1990s, we – back then under the name "Cintamani – Health Service" – belonged to the GSE pioneers in Europe or Austria.
In the course of their research the two authors Sharamon and Baginski closely worked together with our company or Mr. Brandweiner who provided many valuable application examples and reports on our experiences.
Due to the possible harassment by German or Austrian authorities no products available in the EU were mentioned by their brandname in the book. However, you will find a direct reference in the bibliography of both books mentioned above under “Brandweiner, Uwe” (CITROCEPT – The effect of the grapefruit seed extract; the miracle of the grapefruit seed – CITROCEPT; CITROSEPT – Grapefruit Seed Extract, CINTAMANI Health Service, 3rd edition, 1997; pages 155 and 166 [of the German edition]. This was done without success, because only shortly afterwards the German authorities invaded the German importer of CITROCEPT in full gear with submachine guns...
Question 9: Does the pharmaceutical lobby plot against Dr. Harich’s GSE?
If you soberly view the situation in Germany, France or Switzerland, you would have to answer: yes, it does. Nevertheless, I do not nurture any conspiracy theories, I simply think that here (especially in Germany) there are strong forces in economy and politics who regard GSE as a thorn in their side, because they consider its potential as an enormous competition for their own products. It is highly unlikely that all the strange things happened by pure accident, when Dr. Harich’s GSE was about to be marketed in Germany. It seems no mere coincidence that just before the big launch campaign for GSE hooded forces equipped with a battering ram and submachine guns broke into the house of the CITROCEPT importer in Germany, because they had been given the order “from the very top” (the armed forces were quite flabbergasted, because they seemed to be of the opinion to break up a terrorist network). Not a single newspaper reported the incident; there was no investigation; there was no criminal charge and nothing else; merely the complete stock of GSE needed to be immediately shipped back to Norway. The complaints of the distributor were either ignored or the authorities commented that they were “not in charge”. Silence in the woods. But they succeeded in one thing: This „act of state” had such a deterring effect on prospective distributors that even now, 12 years after this incident, there are still only a few – in most cases quite small distributors – who dare to offer the original Dr. Harich GSE in Germany. We also gave up to fight a battle against the windmills. In recent years we have witnessed how editors were dismissed, just because they wanted to write about their positive experiences with CITROCEPT. You can only speculate as to why there is such a heavy resistance against such articles in the boardroom that committed journalists are being sacked.
Question 10: In some German medical magazines, it was reported that there could be interactions between grapefruit juice and drugs, particularly heart medication. Is there any truth in it?
At the instigation of the pharmaceutical lobbyists, CITROSEPT has no longer been approved as a product intended for human consumption since 2011 and therefore, the question is somewhat superfluous. Nevertheless, I would like to comment on it, as certain pharmaceutical circles try to turn the public opinion against the grapefruit and grapefruit products in general.
Dr. Harich‘s grapefruit seed extract and regular grapefruit juice are not identical!
There are various substances of the grapefruit seed which are not present in grapefruit juice (except for some flavonoids). Although it is generally known that grapefruits are very healthy, the substances contained in the fruits do not have any anti-microbial effect. On the other hand, substances contained in grapefruit juice are not present in the grapefruit seed extract.
Whether this report published in German medical magazines is to be taken serious or not or simply serves to promote a certain opinion, is something I do not wish to judge. In medical magazines you will only find information which is obtained in their circles. However, it is quite thought-provoking that it was the death of an adolescent some years ago which triggered off the whole discrediting of “grapefruit products”. As far as I know this young man suffered from severe adipositas and heart disorders; therefore, he needed to take strong heart medications. Despite all of this, he died. After his death, doctors found out that over many years the teenager had consumed several liters of grapefruit juice every day. As a result, the effects of this enormous consumption of grapefruit juice was examined. Finally, they arrived at the conclusion that the comsumption of grapefruit was the cause of his death, because it blocked the heart medications. This led to the opinion (= the “truth”) among scientist that grapefruit products do not go together with heart drugs. And as nowadays one can easily find a fame hungry scientist who will come up with any desired study results for money, it is very easy to conclude negative accusations against the grapefruit. This led to the rumor that grapefruits in general do not go together with medications. Who would want to hear anything positive about the grapefruit after so many people have been brainwashed in such an extremely negative way that if in doubt they tend to believe in the negative.
It can easily be understood that the daily consumption of several liters of grapefruit juice over a long period of time will or might lead to interactions, as heart medications contain very strong bitter compounds. But presenting the whole thing in such a way as if the results of the examinations were to be taken as the objective truth, is a bit thick. I think that someone who is able to take in several liters of this extremely bitter fruit juice over many years must have been sick beforehand. Bitter compounds are an important part of our nutrition, but if taken in such large quantities, even the healthiest substance will directly lead to a disorder.
But as the layman and even the legislator have great difficulties in getting access to these studies, and if so only with great endeavors and the help of a very courageous and committed prosecuting attorney, they can easily maintain something, if nobody will be able to verify it. Only a very courageous prosecutor could dare to doubt the results of a study conducted by scientists and physicians. It is self-understood that the publishing company loves to print positive studies which support the opinion of their sponsors. Only few people know that the magazines by physicians or pharmacies cannot exist without the strong financial aid of various pharmaceutical companies. Thus, one hand washes the other…
However, it is my and our greatest hope that one day man will again have the right to freely choose the substance or method to restore and maintain his or her health. It cannot go on forever that a small money hungry elite in industry wants to turn our health system into a dictatorship of the pharmaceutical companies.
Question 11: What is the difference between CITROSEPT® and CIDRICIDAL® (Nutri Biotic®)?
As the producer and distributor of CITROSEPT® GSE we were asked quite often recently whether there is a difference between CITROSEPT® and CIDRICIDAL® or Nutribiotic®. CIDRICIDAL® (or Nutri Biotic®) is often marketed as ”the original GSE patented by Dr. Harich” in many German webshops. Therefore, we provide a short table listing the main differences between CITROSEPT® and CIDRICIDAL® (Nutri Biotic®) regarding production and quality. Please judge for yourself:
Production of the original GSE patented by Dr. Harich
1. Pulp and seeds are being separated. For the production of GSE patented by Dr. Harich only grapefruit seeds and membranes of the varieties Thompson, Albedo, Ducan, Ruby Red and Shaddon are used, because they show the sufficient amount of active substances
2. The membranes and seeds are being spraydried
3. The dried seeds and membranes will be mixed at a ratio of 80 to 20
4. The dried mass is pulverized finely and tested on pesticides.
5. Herbal glycerine is added as extracting agent.
6. This mass is heated in a large stainless steel container up to approx. 300°F (150°C) and
7. will circulate for about 3 – 4 hours in a pipeline circuit until the active substances dissolve from the pulverized mass and get stabilised.
8. Then this mixture of grapefruit seed extract and glycerine will be cooled down to 140°F (60°C) and then be pressed through an ultrafine special screen applying high pressure (1.1 – 1.3 tons). This results in the very viscous GSE gross mass. No extraneous substances like enzymes, ammonium chloride, hydrochloric acid or any other substances are added.
Source (Link): Patent description; this is produced by the company CRM Inc under the direction of Dr. Harich’s daughter who carries on her father’s lifework and legacy. For CITROSEPT® we exclusively use this original extract.
Production of CIDRICIDAL® and Nutri Biotic® GSE
1. Membranes and seeds are dried and pulverized (almost all sorts of grapefruits are used).
2. This powder is dissolved in purified water and by distillation it is freed from solid parts.
3. The resulting mass is being spraydried.
4. The powder gained in this process is dissolved in herbal glycerine and heated.
5. Ammonium chloride and ascorbic acid will be added and the mass will be heated further under high pressure.
6. By adding hydrochloric acid and natural enzymes the mass will move through a catalytic process of change.
7. The mixture will be cooled and filtered. This results in a viscous GSE gross mass.
The percentage of chemical ammonium chloride in CIDRICIDAL amounts to approx. 15 – 19% according to information given by the producer! There are no residues of hydrochloric acid in the finished product.
Source: Richard Perry, BioChem Research, producer, in a message sent by fax (Link): (CIDRICIDAL® or Nutri Biotic® are being produced by the company Fa. Regenisis Inc. by now, however, the method of extraction has remained the same). CIDRICIDAL® or Nutri Biotic® are registered tradenames by the company BioChemResearch.
The producers and distributors of CIDRICIDAL® or Nutri Biotic® must cope with the question whether a product can still be considered as natural, if in the course of the production process extraneous substances such as the highly disputed chemical ammonium chloride, hydrochloric acid and various enzymes are being added and the percentage of ammonium chloride amounts to 15 – 19% in the finished product.
In addition, one should know that Dr. Harich and his team have tested and developed various methods over decades in order to extract the anti-microbial substances from the grapefruit seeds. Dr. Harich finally chose to patent the procedure in which the active agents of the grapefruit seeds are not being denaturalized. Only glycerine, heat and high pressure are used, no chemical substances are added. The extraction with added chemical substances – which are used for CIDRICIDAL® for example – was one of several experiments that Dr. Harich rejected because the GSE obtained through this method entailed a denaturalization which he considered as being too high. Therefore, CIDRICIDAL® is by no means the patented original extract, but reflects an experiment conducted and rejected by Dr. Harich in his GSE research. This “attempt” rejected by Dr. Harich was lateron taken up by his “business partner” Richard Perry – and was marketed by him under the tradename “CIDRICIDAL®". Dr. Harich has nothing to do with CIDRICIDAL® (apart from the fact that he rejected the method of extraction).
In addition, one should know that Dr. Harich and his team have tested and developed various methods over decades in order to extract the anti-microbial substances from the grapefruit seeds. Dr. Harich finally chose to patent the procedure in which the active agents of the grapefruit seeds are not being denaturalized. Only glycerine, heat and high pressure are used, no chemical substances are added. The extraction with added chemical substances – which are used for CIDRICIDAL® for example – was one of several experiments that Dr. Harich rejected because the GSE obtained through this method entailed a denaturalization which he considered as being too high. Therefore, CIDRICIDAL® is by no means the patented original extract, but reflects an experiment conducted and rejected by Dr. Harich in his GSE research. This “attempt” rejected by Dr. Harich was lateron taken up by his “business partner” Richard Perry – and was marketed by him under the tradename “CIDRICIDAL®". Dr. Harich has nothing to do with CIDRICIDAL® (apart from the fact that he rejected the method of extraction).
If various distributors of CIDRICIDAL® in Germany write on the websites that CIDRICIDAL® corresponds to the original GSE patented by Dr. Harich and even add statements such as “the seed and the peel are dried and then processed to a fine powder, and then diluted with purified water before being distilled. Under low temperature the distilled mass is processed to a pure concentrated powder (Citricidal®) which is dissolved in herbal glycerine“ – then you seriously have to ask yourself whether these distributors are actually informed about their product or not. Naively posting such misleading statements on one’s website might easily lead to costly warnings, for they do not reflect the truth and (no matter whether this is done intentionally or unintentionally) they simply deceive the customers (if done on purpose, it is even fraud). We do not have any problems with other distributors selling the chemically produced CIDRICIDAL®, as it is still better than any other disinfectant that is detrimental for your health or for the environment. But a distributor should simply know everything about his or her product, so that he or she will be able to inform you and other customers properly.
The publishers of the books “The Healing Power of Grapefruit Seed“ and “Grapefruit Seed Extract“ could also be critisized for insufficiently researching the differences between CITROSEPT® and CIDRICIDAL®, as they are not mentioned in their books at all. Therefore, the reader might get the impression that it does not make any difference if you use CITROSEPT® or CIDRICIDAL® (or Nutri Biotic®).
Question 12: Who is Dr. Harich?
In 1919, Dr. Jakob Harich was born in former Yugoslavia and grew up in Germany. He studied nuclear physics, but interrupted his studies in the Second World War. The horrible experiences of the war and the effects of nuclear physics in the form of the atom bomb prompted him to dedicate his life to the service of mankind and peoples’ health. Therefore, he studied medicine with a special focus on gynaecology and the research of immunology. In 1957 he immigrated to the US and worked at the Long Island University of New York.
He got his first intense contact with grapefruits in 1963, when he settled „in the heart of the land of the grapefruit”, in Florida. Straight from the beginning, the bitter grapefruit seeds attracted him and when he as a passionate hobby gardener found out that these seeds did not rot in his compost heap, his scientific curiosity as immunologist was inspired, because he asked himself: "What is it that makes these soft seeds of extremely robust against micro-organisms?"
In order to proceed with his research, Dr. Harich succeeded in convincing Dr. Steven Otwell and Dr. Wayne Marshall of the renowned Laboratory for Nutritional Science at the University of Gainesville, Florida, to join his research. Although the two well-known scientists were quite sceptical in the beginning, they were intrigued by Dr. Harich’s idea and therefore ready to participate in the research.
Their expectations were surpassed by far, because although at the beginning, the method of extraction was technologically quite underdeveloped, the extract taken from the grapefruit seeds proved to be very effective against various micro-organisms. Dr. Otwell and Dr. Marshall demonstrated the amazing anti-microbial properties of the GSE by using them as a preservative of various foodstuffs, fish and poultry. The successes were fantastic.
At the beginning of the 1980s Dr. Harich focussed his work on further perfecting the method of extraction. The American Department for Agriculture ran a series of tests with this extract at the beginning of the 1980s which confirmed that the GSE had such an enormous effect in inhibiting viruses from attacking cows and pigs that the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) suggested and approved GSE for the Evian Programme designed to eradicate influenza. Unfortunately, the story ends here with the approval, because despite sensational research results the GSE lacked the necessary lobby to push this natural substance in the light of an all-powerful pharmaceutical industry.
Finally, in the late 1980s, when countless tests and examinations and the application in practice showed that Dr. Harich’s GSE was highly anti-microbial and at the same time non-toxic for both humans and animals, holistic health practitioners started to become interested in the extract. The therapeutic successes were overwhelming and the scientific work of Dr. Harich finally got the recognition it deserved.
In the beginning of the 1990s the GSE pioneers around Dr. Harich had to face one of the greatest challenges. Some active substances in the GSE have a great chemical similarity to various chemical preservatives and disinfectants. Chemical laboratories examined the extract and due to the great similarity mistook the substances of the GSE for those synthetic substances.
After various house searches and examinations conducted by the American FDA, an all-clear was given, because they could prove that the substances in the extract are not synthetic. Due to the lively press coverage, Dr. Harich’s GSE got enormous publicity which resulted in a soaring demand. Since then Dr. Harich‘s GSE is no longer confined to shops selling organic articles.
In 1995, Dr. Harich was invited to the renowned Pasteur Institute in France, Europe’s main AIDS research center. At this institute scientists had done research on Dr. Harich’s GSE for several years because of its enormous anti-microbial and non-poisonous potential as a prophylactic agent against the HIV virus and some other secondary infections occurring in connection with AIDS. Unfortunately, the research did not have much influence, despite of the fact that amazing successes could be achieved, but – just like before – GSE could not fall back on the necessary lobby which could not win out over the billion-dollar community of interests of the pharmaceutical lobbyists.
Dr. Harich died in 1996. Until his death, he was busy travelling as the “ambassador of the GSE“ all around the world and lectured even at the age of 77 in order to acquaint people interested in health subjects with the astonishing miracle lying dormant in the seed of the grapefruit. He received many awards worldwide for the extract he discovered. Thus, he belongs to the few researchers who received the honors he deserved for his revolutionary discovery already during his lifetime.