Evaluation of a Garlic Paste Production Process

Details

• Personal Author:
  Broadwater, Kendra R. ; McCleery, Robert E.
• Corporate Authors:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Description:
  The employer of a food product company requested a health hazard evaluation. Employees reported eye irritation and sore throat when processing 4,000 pound batches of garlic. We evaluated the local exhaust ventilation system and reviewed the respiratory protection program. We also took air samples for volatile organic compounds and diallyl disulfide. We found diallyl disulfide in the personal air samples of employees processing garlic. Concentrations ranged from 0.26-0.47 ppm. We do not know if this chemical caused the eye and respiratory irritation. But, diallyl disulfide is a main component of garlic oil. It is also an allergen and mucous membrane and skin irritant. We identified other compounds in the air samples that can cause irritation and allergy. The local exhaust ventilation system above kettles did not control garlic vapors. There was no local exhaust ventilation in the cutting area. The company provided more outdoor air to the kettle room, but eye and respiratory irritation continued. HHE Program investigators conclude there is a potential respiratory and eye irritation hazard when processing garlic.
• Subjects:
  Eye Foreign Bodies Food-Processing Industry Food Handling Food Industry Hypersensitivity Irritants Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Respiratory Protective Devices Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Ventilation

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• Keywords:
  Allergens Allergic-reactions Allergies Allium All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing Chemical Diallyl Disulfide Exhaust-ventilation Exhaust Ventilation Eye-irritants Food-handlers Food-processing Food-processing-industry Food-processing-workers Food Production Garlic Irritation Ohio Onion Organic-compounds OSHA Region 5 Respiratory-irritants Respiratory-protection Respiratory-protective-equipment Respiratory-system-disorders Sensory Throat Ventilation-systems Volatiles

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• Source:
  Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, HHE 2012-0102-3245, 2015 Nov ; :1-17
• Series:
  Health Hazard Evaluation Reports (HHE)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.26616/NIOSHHHE201201023245
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Field Study
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  24 pdf pages
• Contributor:
  Booher, Donald E. ; Galloway, Ellen ; Gressel, Michael ; Roberts, Jen ; Watts, Shawna
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20047048
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2016-100689
• Citation:
  NIOSH [2015]. Health hazard evaluation report: evaluation of a garlic paste production ; process. By Broadwater KR, McCleery RE. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health ; and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for ; Occupational Safety and Health, NIOSH HHE Report No. 2012-0102-3245,
• CAS Registry Number:
  Diallyl disulfide (CAS RN 2179-57-9)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2016
• NORA Priority Area:
  Services
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• NAICS and SIC Codes:
  311999 - All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing - (NAICS)
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:db9b37c9d6181691ca31186643e00e7a186b18c05eb1022d8f28912d170aa39daa87163b55c74cdf3bfd4204de85a4996581045e9dcbb9d55dbd24ae83045e45
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/172420/cdc_172420_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 826.90 KB ]