HYPOALLERGENIC NATURAL RUBBER LATEX, PROTECTED WITH POLYPHENOLS AND FREE OF AMMONIA, METHOD FOR PRODUCING SAME AND USE THEREOF

摘要

The present invention consists of the use of polyphenols, such as plant tannins, for protecting latex from natural rubber from the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis L. against biological degradation, dispensing with the use of ammonia. The protection provides stability during storage and handling and blocks the allergenic proteins that exist in latex, decreasing or eliminating the incidence of allergies to products derived from the protected latex. The existing alternatives for reducing or eliminating said allergenic proteins complicate and/or encumber latex processing and do not completely solve the problem of allergenicity. With the use of polyphenols for treating latex, the present invention provides the production of a natural rubber latex raw material which allows the production of hypoallergenic products for medical use, such as surgical gloves, probes and contraceptives.