Feather and Down Contamination: Ensuring Allergen and Microbial Safety

Are feathers and down safe for people with allergies?

While feather allergies are rare, contaminants found on feathers and down can still trigger allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Contaminants such as house dust mites, feather mites, avian serum proteins, and mold may cause reactions, while microbial contaminants like mold and bacteria could lead to illness in susceptible individuals.

Commercial Feather and Down Processing
Advancements in commercial processing have significantly reduced contaminants in feather and down products, but global standards vary, and reliable testing methods are essential to confirm effectiveness.

Airmid Health Labs Avian Allergen Contaminants Testing Methodology

In pursuit of better testing, Airmid Health Labs has developed and filed an International Patent (March 9, 2012) for an innovative method to assess avian allergen removal from feather and down. This patented methodology evaluates allergen levels throughout the treatment process, providing insights into the contamination levels in various filling materials, including:

• Pillows
• Duvets
• Clothing
• Soft furnishings

Measured Allergen Contaminants

Our avian allergen assessment includes specific testing for:

• Avian IgG – Measured using an ELISA developed at Airmid Health Labs
• Mite Group 2 – Assessed via an ELISA by Indoor Biotechnologies
• Total Soluble Protein – Evaluated with a Pierce™ Protein Assay

Microbial Contaminant Testing

To ensure the microbial safety of feather and down products, we conduct Total Viable Count (TVC) testing for bacteria and fungi. This method estimates the number of viable (living) bacteria and fungi in a sample, reported as cfu/g (colony-forming units per gram).

• TVC Bacteria – Determines the total viable bacterial count
• TVC Fungi – Measures the total viable fungal count

For more information on Airmid Health Labs’s innovative testing methods for feather and down allergen and microbial contamination, please contact us.