PREVIOUS MYTH:
High heat eliminates allergen
NEXT MYTH:
Advisory statements don’t mean anything. They are just there to protect a company from liability.
PREVIOUS MYTH:
High heat eliminates allergen
NEXT MYTH:
Advisory statements don’t mean anything. They are just there to protect a company from liability.
Staff Training: Food Allergies & Anaphylaxis in School – What School Staff Need to Know
This 30 minute module is designed to assist the school nurse in staff training of management of life-threatening allergic reactions and increase food allergy awareness for all school staff including teachers, food service personnel, administrators, aides, specialists, coaches, bus drivers, custodians and others.
FOOD ALLERGY MYTH
“Hand sanitizing gels eliminate food allergen”
FOOD ALLERGY FACT
Food allergens are not eliminated by hand sanitizing gel. Soap and water and wet wipes work.
COMMENTARY:
Preventing cross contact with cleaning is important. Perry and colleagues looked at the effectiveness of cleaning strategies to clean hands and table tops. The study demonstrated that soap and water and commercial hand wipes were effective in decreasing allergens on hands, while hand sanitizers were not. The study also demonstrated that soap and water, commercial cleaners and commercial wipes were effective in cleaning table tops of allergen. Please note that in this study, adults were using these cleaning products, not children. Children may be less effective in their cleaning strategies.
RESOURCES:
Avoid Allergen; Cross Contact With Food Allergens: One page supplemental handout to reinforce school staff cross-contact prevention and cleaning skills.
Living Confidently With Food Allergy: Cross-contact: Chapter from parent handbook that reviews cross-contact basics and tips to teach children.
REFERENCES:
- Perry, T.T. et al. “Distribution of peanut allergen in the environment.” Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 113.5 (2004): 973-6.
