MORRISVILLE, Pa. — February 6, 2020 — Gelest Inc., the manufacturer of BIOSAFE® Antimicrobials, announced today that National Wiper Alliance — a converter of custom nonwoven towels for medical, food service, and aerospace applications — has selected BIOSAFE antimicrobial technology to enhance its newly introduced QUAT KEEPER™ Foodservice Towels.
A study[1] by NSF International found that 75 percent of kitchen towels were contaminated with bacteria compared to only 9 percent of bathroom handles. Damp towels with trapped food residue create ideal environments for bacteria, mold, and fungi to grow. Sanitizing solutions, such as quaternary ammonium compounds, or Quat, can clean the towels but will not protect them against growth of odor-causing bacteria and mold during use.
Another growing concern for food service establishments, all-natural towels are highly desirable, but they are known Quat depletors. The towels can cause Quat levels in sanitizing solutions to suddenly drop below the mandated level, which can result in serious food sanitation and safety issues.
“Gelest and NWA joined forces and successfully developed a simple solution that provides towels with antimicrobial protection and mitigates against Quat depletion,” said Ken Gayer, CEO of Gelest. “We are proud NWA chose our industry-leading BIOSAFE antimicrobial technology for its new QUAT KEEPER™ Foodservice Towels.”
BIOSAFE antimicrobial technology is highly effective and safe to use with minimal potential risk of creating adaptive resistant microorganisms. This technology is EPA-approved and has FDA exemption as well as NSF certification for food contact applications.
“We selected Gelest’s BIOSAFE antimicrobial technology because Gelest is the industry leader in developing antimicrobial technology for food contact uses,” said Jeff Slosman, president of NWA. “When converted with our proprietary process, the BIOSAFE-treated towels do not deplete Quat like the untreated towels do.”
QUAT KEEPER Foodservice Towels powered by BIOSAFE antimicrobial technology are available in a variety of colors and fiber blends, including all-natural, compostable fibers. Independent testing labs have shown that they are non-quat depleting and 99.9% cleaner than untreated towels during use. BIOSAFE-treated foodservice towels are available exclusively through NWA.
Disclaimer: NWA QUAT KEEPER Foodservice Towels do not protect users or others against bacteria, viruses, or disease organisms. Always follow all best practices for cleaning and sanitization.
[1] http://www.nsf.org/consumer-resources/studies-surveys-infographics/germ-studies/germiest-items-home
Posted February 6, 2020
Source: Gelest Inc.
