Page 18 - 4_TOC special applications

Sum parameters – Total Organic Carbon

TN Determination
b
For the risk assessment of allergen carryover in food production
No. SCA-130-408

The German Allergy and Asthma Association ▪ TN / TOC - Determination
b
(DAAB) estimates the number of food allergy Cleaning validation results can also be used to
sufferers needing treatment to be around six estimate a possible allergen contamination. This is
million. While in children and infants, cow milk, performed via a ‘worst case’ scenario that
soy, wheat, peanuts and hazelnuts are the main assumes that all organic substances are allergens.
trigger, adolescents and adults generally react As allergens present in foods are almost
more strongly to raw vegetables and fruits, nuts, exclusively proteins containing nitrogen atoms, the
fish, shellfish and molluscs. Persons with food TN parameter provides considerably more
b
allergies are sensitive to certain food ingredients, information for the assessment of allergen
so-called allergens. carryover in a ‘worst case’ scenario than the TOC
parameter alone.

To provide information on the consumption of TOC-L combustion analyzer with autosampler for TOC
allergen-containing foods to those persons and TN determination
b
affected, the 14 most frequent food allergy triggers
(for example mustard, eggs, celery, peanuts etc.)
are subject to appropriate package labelling. If a ▪ Tests with foods containing allergens
food contains one of these ingredients, this must Contaminated rinse water samples, i.e. with
be clearly indicated on the packaging. During food defined concentrations of an allergen-containing
production or processing, traces of allergens can raw material or a product, were prepared in tap
inadvertently get into foods via preliminary or water on an experimental basis. Subsequently,
intermediate products, without being labelled on these samples were analyzed for their TOC and
the packaging as an ingredient. TN content.
b

To avoid such cross-contamination, many food As expected, it was concluded that both the TOC
manufacturers rely on cleaning validation. and the TN concentrations increase linearly with
b
increasing product concentration.