Our History
Origins and Early Development
The CitroLife® story began in Australia in the late 1990s when food technologist Ravi Narain began investigating the potential of plant-derived ingredients as effective alternatives to conventional antimicrobial chemicals.
Having established GDM Technologies Pty Ltd in 1997, Ravi embarked on an extensive program of research, experimentation and formulation development that would ultimately lead to the creation of CitroZine®.
CitroZine® is a proprietary, plant-derived, food-ingredient-based antimicrobial technology incorporating selected bioflavonoids and other carefully chosen organic and natural ingredients.
Through a specialized formulation and manufacturing process developed by Ravi Narain, these ingredients interact synergistically to create CitroZine®, a broad-spectrum antimicrobial system with demonstrated antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties.
Certification and Regulatory Milestones
A significant achievement in the company's early development was CitroFresh® becoming the first disinfectant to achieve organic certification through NASAA and Australian Certified Organic (ACO), subsequently followed by natural certification from Natural Verifiers.
CitroFresh® also historically obtained Kosher certification through the Orthodox Union.
In 2004, the company commenced its Australian hospital-grade disinfectant testing program. This was followed on 9 May 2005 by Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) entries for CitroFresh® 14P and CitroFresh® 14W as hospital-grade disinfectants.
Further regulatory milestones included hospital-grade disinfectant entries associated with Woolworths in 2011 and CitroShield® in 2016.
These achievements reflected years of formulation development, independent laboratory testing and quality-control work.
International Scientific Research
CitroFresh® research was featured in scientific abstracts published for the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in Copenhagen in 2005 and Munich in 2007.
Independent testing was undertaken by laboratories and scientific organizations across Australia, Europe, the United States, South Africa and Asia.
The research examined the technology's performance against numerous bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant organisms, as well as viruses, fungi, yeasts and bacterial spores.
In 2006, an independent technology review conducted by Acuity examined the formulation, manufacturing procedures, laboratory results, quality systems and commercial development of CitroFresh®.
The review recognized the extensive independent testing undertaken and the practical potential of the technology.
Expanding the Product Range
What began as research into food safety and antimicrobial protection gradually developed into a diverse portfolio of specialized formulations for household, commercial, industrial, agricultural and personal-care applications.
CitroFresh® was developed for food safety, processing hygiene and shelf-life extension across fruit, vegetables, seafood, meat, poultry and other food-processing applications.
CitroShield® expanded the technology into household, institutional and commercial hygiene products, including hospital-grade and standard disinfectants, multi-purpose cleaners, natural hand sanitizers, hand cleaners, dishwashing liquids, toilet cleaners, bathroom cleaners, glass cleaners, degreasers, floor cleaners and other specialized cleaning formulations.
CitroGro® introduced agricultural formulations developed for crop health, plant nutrition and improved growing conditions, supported by historical field trials across different crops and agricultural environments.
CitroCare® extended development into personal-care and oral-care formulations, including natural personal lubricants for men and women, Gynagel™, organic mouthwash and antimicrobial wet wipes.
These developments demonstrate the versatility of CitroZine® and the company's experience in creating finished formulations for widely differing applications.
Manufacturing and International Commercial Experience
Over the course of its development, GDM Technologies established and operated six manufacturing facilities: two in Sydney, two in Victoria and two in China.
These operations involved formulation manufacturing, processing, filling, labeling, packaging, quality control and international distribution.
At its broader commercial scale, the business supplied approximately 2,800 customers across 32 countries, serving industries ranging from food manufacturing and agriculture to cosmetics, household hygiene and institutional cleaning.
Several customer relationships have continued for more than two decades.
Continuing the Research
Nearly three decades after the original development work began, CitroLife® continues to build upon its established technology, international testing history, manufacturing expertise and diverse product portfolio.
Throughout this journey, the guiding principle has remained consistent:
Developing products from the formulation outward rather than the branding inward.
The continuing objective is to explore further applications of plant-derived technology that contribute to human health, safety and environmental protection.