Cleaning Products Contain ‘Potent Allergens’

A research study published in the journal, Occupational and Environmental Medicine has suggested that genetically modified enzymes used in food, perfumes, medicine and cleaning products are ‘potent allergens’ and should be tested like other potentially hazardous chemicals.[i]

In the study, researchers took blood samples from 813 workers routinely exposed to genetically modified enzymes from working in the food, drinks, chemicals, detergents and pharmaceutical industries. In just under a quarter of the blood samples, they found antibodies, which are proteins produced in response to the presence of the GM enzymes. The most commonly detected antibodies were derived from exposure to alpha amylase, stainzyme, and pancreatinin, which are predominantly used in detergents and home care products. Further to this, the researchers examined a subgroup of 134 workers and found around a third of them had possible allergic symptoms such as runny nose, eye irritation or shortness of breath.

The highest levels of sensitisation was produced by alpha amylase, with antibodies showing up in 44% of workers exposed to it, followed by stainzyme (41%) and pancreatinin (35%). These three genetically modified enzymes are all predominantly used in detergents, cleaning products and homecare products.

These results led the researchers to conclude that:

‘Genetically engineered enzymes are potent allergens eliciting immediate-type sensitisation…The assessment of allergenicity should be mandatory for all new products…Enzymes should be tested like any other potentially hazardous chemical’.

The use of enzymes has increased over recent years, particularly within the food industry as it is used to boost flavours and aromas, including in low-fat foods. As well as creating artificial flavourings, industrial applications for enzyme technology range from cheese ripening through speeding up the baking process to enhancing the power of detergents and medicines.