New Uniforms Help Fight Food-Borne Pathogens

Tuesday 08th of May 2007 03:31:18 AM

For many in the food industry, ensuring a clean work area is an important part of food preparation. Wiping down prep tables, cleaning utensils, and handling different food products safely are common practices used to keep the level of food-borne pathogens low. In addition to these duties, those who work in the food industry may also wipe down tables and clean bathrooms. G&K services, a uniform provider for restaurants, caters, and other businesses that work with food, debuted new ‘biosmart’ uniforms at the Food Marketing Institute Show that was held in Chicago, USA recently.

‘Biosmart’ uniforms, designed by Miliken & Co., contain chlorine molecules that are embedded into the fabric which kill pathogens on contact. “We think this one innovation clearly has potential for revenue in the tens of millions of dollars, incrementally, over the next year," said G&K senior vice president of marketing, Scott Wallace. Uniforms can be washed repeatedly using a special solution in order to keep the chlorine active.

When tested, it was found that the new uniforms did not irritate the skin, which is good for those who will be wearing the uniform each day. ‘Biosmart’ uniforms will cost about 15% more than other uniforms and will need to be washed by G&K in order to preserve chlorine molecules in the fabric.

G&K will be selling the uniforms through its ProSura division, which was created to help those in the food industry document safety measures. “Our ProSura program was a giant step forward in mitigating cross-contamination through employee uniforms, and now our BioSmart garments and towels will provide an extra layer of protection. In our first year, we're making millions of towels alone. We think towels are going to be big,” Wallace said.

(c)Dominic Morel, www.sxc.hu

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