In a concerning find, scientists showed that residue from rinse agents on dishes after cleansing in professional-grade dishwashers can seriously damage the protective layer within the gut and likewise result in the event of chronic diseases.
A study conducted by researchers on the Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research (SIAF), an associated institute of the University of Zurich (UZH), has cautioned against the potential harm that these appliances may cause.
Business dishwashers are a fast and simple method to clean and dry plates, glasses and cutlery in places corresponding to restaurants, schools and barracks. Nevertheless, an ingredient- alcohol ethoxylate- in business rinse agents can severely damage the gastrointestinal tract, in keeping with the study published within the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
In a business dishwasher, typically a round of hot water and detergent flow into for 60 seconds at high pressure, followed by one other 60-second washing and drying cycle during which water and a rinse agent are used.
“What’s especially alarming is that in lots of appliances, there’s no additional wash cycle to remove the remaining rinse aid,” Cezmi Akdis, study creator and UZH professor of experimental allergology and immunology and director of the SIAF, said, SciTechDaily reported. “Because of this potentially toxic substances remain on the dishes, where they then dry in place.”
There may be a high probability for the dried chemical residue to make its way into the gut the following time the dishes are used.
The researchers focused on the epithelial layer of cells within the gut, lining the intestinal tract and controlling the movement of elements that may enter the body. A breach on this barrier is related to a myriad of health conditions corresponding to food allergies, gastritis, diabetes, obesity, cirrhosis of the liver, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, autism spectrum disorders, chronic depression and Alzheimer’s disease, in keeping with the outlet.
Within the study, researchers analyzed the effect of various ratios of rinsing agents on the human intestinal organoids and intestinal cells on microchips. The substances were diluted in a ratio that mimicked the amount that will be present on dry dishes (1:10,000 to 1:40,000).
High doses of rinse agents destroyed the intestinal epithelial cells while lower doses increased its permeability, the study found. Furthermore, the activation of several genes and cell signaling proteins that might trigger inflammatory responses was also observed. A component of the rinse agent – alcohol ethoxylates – was found to be liable for this response.
“The effect that we found could mark the start of the destruction of the gut’s epithelial layer and trigger the onset of many chronic diseases,” Akdis said, adding that “It will be significant to tell the general public about this risk since alcohol ethoxylates appear to be commonly utilized in business dishwashers.”