INDICATOR FOR ASSESSING BODY ODOR, PROCESS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME, BODY ODOR ASSESSMENT METHOD, METHOD OF ASSESSING EFFICACIOUSNESS OF DEODORANT AND KIT FOR CONVENIENTLY ASSESING BODY ODOR

An indicator material for assessing body odor of the present invention comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of a substance (A) which is a beta -hydroxycarboxylic acid compound represented by the formula (1), a substance (B) which is a derivative of the compound represented by the formula (1), a substance (C) which is an alcohol compound having a mercapto group at the 3-position represented by the formula (2),and a substance (D) which is a derivative of the compound represented by the formula (2). The present invention also provides a method of producing the compound represented by the formula (2) by incubating perspiration originated from a human in an environment with an oxygen concentration of 10 v/v% or less. The present invention also provides a kit for assessing body odor of a human, wherein the kit for assessing body odor of a human includes a coloration reagent which reacts with beta -hydroxycarboxylic acid originated from perspiration of a human. wherein R is an alkyl having 1 to 4 carbons; R is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl having 1 to 4 carbons, and the total number of carbons in the formula (1) is 10 or less; wherein R is a hydrogen atom or methyl group; R is an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbons; and R is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, the total number of carbons is 8 or less.