CANADIAC, Quebec,
Feb. 10, 2012
(Press Release) -
Cascades Tissue Group is proud to announce the beginning of a partnership with the Global Food Safety Resource Centre (GFSR) to promote the Cascades® green Antibacterial Hand Towel, an innovative and award-winning paper product that has been shown to serve in the reduction of hand-transferred bacteria, a concern shared by most stakeholders within the food industry.
Food companies employ standard best practices for hand hygiene, but human behaviour is subject to variability that can impact results. In fact, a U.S. study shows that only 32% of agri-food industry workers wash their hands properly . Nearly 80% of common infectious diseases, such as the flu or cold, are spread through hand contact, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. In terms of food preparation, 36% of foodborne illness outbreaks can be traced to poor personal hygiene .
Cascades' green Antibacterial Hand Towel - also known as The Intelligent Paper® - was developed as an innovative solution to take control of bacteria on hands. It offers a more effective hand drying process which means less bacteria on the hands for a longer time, and increased hygiene for operations overall. Currently available in Canada only, the key feature of this antibacterial hand towel is its unique ability to release an antibacterial agent on the paper when it comes in contact with wet hands, thus offering a long-lasting antibacterial effect without changing people's habits.
In 2011, Cascades Tissue Group was recognized by the International Conference on Prevention & Infection Control (ICPIC) when it was invited to present its Intelligent® Antibacterial Hand Towel, a privilege given to only 14 new products worldwide. The same year, this innovation was awarded the Stevie® trophy for Best New Product or Service of the year, in the health category, at the 8th annual International Business Awards 2011, in Abu Dhabi (UAE).
Through their partnership, GFSR and Cascades share a common mandate of informing the global food community of new ways to minimize food safety risks, sharing innovation through safety and communication. GFSR provides the communication side of the partnership, while Cascades Intelligent® Antibacterial Hand Towel provides a cutting-edge example of new options being made available to improve food safety.
