Enzyme solutions for the cleaning of allergens from milk, egg and gluten residues

Abstract

Detergent formulations with enzymes improve the detergency, reduce cleaning temperatures, and improve the environmental impact of the cleaning process, while reducing allergenicity on food contact surfaces. This work quantifies the effect of proteases and amylases on the removal of milk, egg and gluten allergens from stainless steel, silicone and nylon surfaces and the consequent reduction of the allergenicity of the cleaned surface.This work shows that the type of surface significantly affects the removal of beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) milk allergens, with stainless steel achieving the highest reduction and nylon the lowest. Surfactant solutions based on anionic and non-ionic surfactants reduced the concentration of allergens on surfaces but did not achieve a complete elimination. The addition of enzymes to surfactants preparations increased the levels of allergen elimination the most, especially those containing protease. Egg white proteins allergens presented the greatest resistance to being removed. Enzymatic solutions were more effective in removing casein and egg proteins from stainless steel than from silicone and nylon, while for gluten removal, they were more effective on silicone. Overall, enzyme-based preparations, particularly those with protease, significantly improved allergen removal from mixed soils, although further optimization of the cleaning process is needed to allow complete allergen elimination.