MATERIAL SOLUTIONS


TABLE 2: TYPICAL ‘MARKER’ ALLERGENS AND THEIR CURRENT LIMITS OF DETECTION BY AFFORDABLE MEANS


Allergen Peanut


Macadama nut Brazil nut


Pistachio nut Almond nut Pecan nut Hazel nut


Cashew nut Walnut Soya


Egg white protein


Limit of detection 2.5 µg/swab 1.0 µg/swab 1.0 µg/swab 1.0 µg/swab 2.5 µg/swab 0.67 µg/swab 2.5 µg/swab 2.0 µg/swab 2.0 µg/swab 2.5 µg/swab 0.13 µg/swab


Experience to date


The systems developed by LTC have now been used in the UK for many years and have been shown to be highly effective, with costs which are deemed proportionate to the risks. Laundry staff have been trained to oversee the quarterly test washes in-house (which greatly increases the speed and reduces the cost). The one- wash test pieces give very few problems; the 25-wash swatches for re-deposition occasionally get lost, but putting these under the control of a single person with an effective monitoring form has largely sorted this out.


Contamination of the re-deposition test-piece with dye tints from coloured workwear (or logos or braiding) has also been a problem (because this gives an apparently poor numerical result). This has been largely solved by only monitoring re-deposition using the test piece in the middle of a run of white garments) which minimises dye contamination. The system is deemed to be both simple and workable.


Where do we go from here? It is a credit to the laundry sector and its suppliers that the systems described have been initiated, developed and installed without the intervention of government legislation, which has probably enabled much quicker success, without tedious and unnecessary bureaucracy. The food industry has been critical to this success, by providing regular laundry inspection


Allergen


B Lacto (milk) Sesame Mollusc Lupine Gluten


Oily fish (tuna) White fish (cod) Mustard


Crustaceans (shellfish) Celery


Limit of detection 0.5 µg/swab 2.5 µg/swab 1.0 µg/swab 1.0 µg/swab 5.0 µg/swab 1.0 µg/swab 5.0 µg/swab 0.5 µg/swab 20.0 µg/swab 1.0 µg/swab


It has been found that if the allergen concentration is below the limits of detection shown in the table, then the risk of an allergenic reaction is very low indeed


visits and working with the sector and its suppliers to solve each problem as it emerged. LTC Worldwide conducted the research work and test development and developed each of the protocols which underpin the staff training and integrated assurance. The R&D work itself was supported in part by the UK government, to which due acknowledgement is made. It is important for the food industry and garment rental sectors to retain the lead they have taken, and they appear to have every intention of doing this.


Consumers worldwide appear to be getting more sensitive to allergens, even in minute trace amounts. This could mean that we can expect the resilience of the human body to become less tolerant of trace irritants in the future. The alarming nature of allergic reactions includes the potential for anaphylactic shock and even death. If this becomes more common and if more species start to give problems, then the garment rental sector needs to be at the forefront of sorting this out. We may need to increase the number of marker allergens in our tests and be able state how we will increase the decontamination power of or processes. Fortunately, we have laundry chemistry suppliers with the technology to raise the power in several different ways to cope with new allergens. We also have the ability to vary the textiles used in garment construction, to further improve soil release and re-deposition potential.


Conclusion


For many years, contract launderers and textile rental operators have struggled to market products and services for which price has been the dominant arbiter. Now at last we have the opportunity to sell the essential technical quality of our service in this sector and talk about the decontamination assurances we can offer!


TEST SWATCHES: EMPA test swatches are stitched to a carrier cloth and numerically assessed using a standard laundry reflectometer, to determine the power of the wash process with respect to allergen removal.


If you have a problem that you think LTC Worldwide can help with, or that you feel would make a good subject for Material Solutions, please call T: +44 (0)1943 816 545 or E: enquiries@ltcworldwide.com or W:www.ltcworldwide.com


@LCNiMag September 2024 | LCNi 29


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