Australian scientists develop product from flaxseed oil that kills golden staph

Australian scientists have used flaxseed oil to develop the world's first organic anti-microbial product which is capable of killing golden staph.

Independent tests confirmed the product -- made from organic flaxseed oil -- was an effective treatment for eradicating golden staph (Staphylococcus aureus), a deadly infection which hospitalized 1,621 Australians in 2013-14.

Around 20 percent of those who contract golden staph, a bacterial disease which attacks the bloodstream, die within 30 days.

Flaxseed oil, which contains alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3, is a superfood known for its incredibly broad range of health benefits, from reducing the risk of heart disease to preventing cancer.

The treatment was developed by a private start-up company, Kayban, in conjunction with Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

In partnership, the two parties managed to extract and isolate the crucial alpha-linolenic acid from the super seed.

"The challenge was to come up with a cost-effective manufacturing technology that consistently produced excellent quality, highly enriched alpha-linolenic acid," CSIRO organic chemist, Doctor Peter Duggan, said in a statement released on Tuesday.

"What we've achieved is a smarter, more efficient process that's been pivotal in Kayban's journey to commercializing a unique saleable product."

Boron Molecular, a Victorian branch of the CSIRO, has been subcontracted to produce the alpha-linolenic acid concentrate on a mass scale.

With the help of a Melbourne manufacturer, Kayban is hoping to infuse the concentrate in a range of healthcare lotions and washes as a proactive way of staving off the disease. Enditem