Q24N (EFE) The widespread belief that allergens from nuts are spread through the ventilation systems of airplanes has no scientific basis, confirms a study, which warns that the real risk for allergy sufferers is in the lack of cleaning of the planes.
The conclusion, collected this Tuesday in a study published in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood, is the result of the analysis of all the tests carried out by the Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom between 1980 and 2023.
In addition to nuts, researchers have looked at what evidence there is of fish/shellfish vapors or exposure to wheat flour in the air breathed in airplanes, and the result is that no affectation has been detected for those who suffer from food allergies.
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Among nuts, “peanut allergens can be detected at very low levels in the air when they are peeled, but the dust settles quickly and can only be detected very close to the nuts, meaning that there is hardly any airborne dust,” they stress.
Aircraft cabin ventilation systems are designed to circulate air through the aircraft rather than across the cabin, “which minimizes the possibility of passenger-generated contaminants spreading throughout the cabin.”
At the same time, air is fully exchanged every 3-4 minutes during a flight, compared to 10 minutes in hospitals for example.
What’s more, on large modern commercial aircraft, about half of the incoming air is recirculated air that has passed through particle filters that effectively remove dust, vapors and microbes, and capture potential food particles in an aerosol, while the other half comes from outside.
The real risk
The real risk, according to the authors, is in “the lack of cleaning of the planes”, especially those that make short routes, since the remains of allergens are left uncleaned on the surfaces (trays, video screens or seats).
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“Surface residues pose the main risk, probably accentuated by the rapid route changes of many airlines,” they emphasize.
Food proteins are usually “sticky” and stick to the surfaces of the seats, the entertainment systems on the backs and the trays, which can cause a reaction in someone who suffers from a food allergy if they do not wash their hands before touching their mouth or face.
The best way to avoid this risk is to ensure that the plane is properly cleaned, but as far as each citizen is concerned, the researchers recommend, especially for those with food allergies, that before sitting in the seat they clean the surfaces that other people have touched on previous flights with disinfectant wipes.
They therefore advise airlines to allow allergic passengers to board planes earlier, as the Department of Transportation already requires of airlines in the United States.
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The authors also suggest that passengers at risk of food anaphylaxis carry adrenaline autoinjectors in their carry-on luggage, since they are not always included in medical kits on board, nor are cabin crew authorized to use them.
“Airlines should have clearer policies regarding food allergies, easily available on their websites, and publicize them well among their cabin and ground staff so that they can clarify questions for allergic passengers,” they say.
Despite all this, data from the United Kingdom show that allergic reactions to food are between 10 and 100 times less frequent during flights than on the ground.
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