Exposure to flour dust and sensitization among bakery employees

Details

• Personal Author:
  Biagini, Raymond E. ; Dowell, Chad H. ; Heederik D ; Mueller, Charles A. ; Page, Elena H.
• Description:
  Background: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health conducted a study to determine prevalences of sensitization to bakery-associated antigens (BAAs) and work-related respiratory symptoms at a large commercial bakery. Methods:The following measurements were carried out: personal breathing zone (PBZ) and general area (GA) monitoring for inhalable flour dust, alpha-amylase and wheat, a questionnaire, and blood tests for IgE specific to flour dust, wheat, alpha-amylase, and common aeroallergens. Results: Of 186 bakery employees present during our site visit, 161completed the questionnaire and 96 allowed their blood to be drawn. The geometric mean PBZ and GA inhalable flour dust concentrations for the lower-exposure group was 0.235 mg/m3, and for the higher-exposure group was 3.01 mg/m3. Employees in the higher-exposure group had significantly higher prevalences of work-related wheezing, runny nose, stuffy nose, and frequent sneezing than the lower-exposure group. The prevalence of IgE specific to wheat was significantly higher among employees who ever had a job in the higher-exposure group or in production at another bakery at both the >/= 0.10 kU/L and the >/= 0.35 kU/L cutoffs, and to flour dust and alpha-amylase at the >/= 0.10 kU/L cutoff, compared to the lower-exposure group. Conclusions: Despite knowledge of the risks of exposure to flour being available for centuries, U.S. employees are still at risk of sensitization and respiratory symptoms from exposure to high levels of BAA. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Antigens Asthma Asthma, Occupational Blood Dust Food-Processing Industry Food Handling Food Industry Hematologic Tests Hypersensitivity Occupational Health Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Risk Assessment Safety Surveys And Questionnaires

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• Keywords:
  Allergens Alpha-amylase Asthma Author Keywords: Flour Bakers Bakery-workers Blood-tests Breathing-zone Bronchial-asthma Dust-exposure Dust-sampling Dusts Food-handlers Food-processing-workers Foodstuff Questionnaires Rash Respiratory Respiratory-system-disorders Risk-analysis Sampling Sensitization Wheat

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• ISSN:
  0271-3586
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• 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 ; DART - Division of Applied Research and Technology
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  53
• Issue:
  12
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20037690
• Citation:
  Am J Ind Med 2010 Dec; 53(12):1225-1232
• Contact Point Address:
  Elena H. Page, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Mailstop R-10, Cincinnati, OH 45226
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2011
• NORA Priority Area:
  Services ; Healthcare and Social Assistance ; Manufacturing
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Industrial Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:9638e314154e258e547fe0076d286e808c434ec388ec02dbc24cd0fd8a9fbbde7aa8695fcb9fed92aeca2e345ec1aebc479220ae228e9b37ae18f93418d8a0e8
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/191686/cdc_191686_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 107.16 KB ]