BALTIMORE, May 10 (UPI) -- A Johns Hopkins Children's Center study finds that most household cleaners remove enough peanut allergen to prevent allergic reactions.
Tests were conducted on surfaces and hands to determine the effectiveness of soaps and cleansers to remove the allergen known as Ara h 1, which is responsible for anaphylactic reactions.
The researchers found most products performed well, although dishwashing liquid left tiny traces of Ara h 1 on some cafeteria tables, and alcohol-based hand sanitizer left residual allergen on half of the hands tested.
In the study, published in the May issue of the "Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology," researchers applied a teaspoon of peanut butter to the hands of 19 peanut allergy-free adult volunteers. Participants then washed their hands with various cleaning agents, plain water and an antibacterial hand sanitizer.
Hand wipes, liquid soap and bar soap all removed the peanut allergen. Water left residual Ara h 1 on 3 of 12 hands, and hand sanitizer left residual allergen on 6 of 12 hands.
Peanut allergy is the third most common food allergy in young children in the United States and the most common food allergy in older children, adolescents and adults.
