5-methyl Furfural Reduces the Production of Malodors by Inhibiting Sodium l-lactate Fermentation of : Implication for Deodorants Targeting the Fermenting Skin Microbiome.

() is a common bacterial colonizer on the surface of human skin. is a natural constituent of skin. Here, we reveal that used sodium l-lactate as a carbon source to undergo fermentation and yield malodors detected by gas colorimetric tubes. Several furan compounds such as furfural originating from the fermentation metabolites play a role in the negative feedback regulation of the fermentation process. The 5-methyl furfural (5MF), a furfural analog, was selected as an inhibitor of sodium l-lactate fermentation of via inhibition of acetolactate synthase (ALS). treated with 5MF lost its ability to produce malodors, demonstrating the feasibility of using 5MF as an ingredient in deodorants targeting malodor-causing bacteria in the skin microbiome.