Burden of Respiratory Abnormalities in Microwave Popcorn and Flavouring Manufacturing Workers

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cox-Ganser, Jean M. ; Cummings, Kristin J. ; Fechter-Leggett, Ethan D. ; Fedan, Kathleen B. ; White, Sandra K.
• Description:
  Objectives: Diacetyl, a butter flavour compound used in food and flavouring production, is a respiratory toxin. We characterised the burden of respiratory abnormalities in workers at popcorn and flavouring manufacturing facilities that used diacetyl as evaluated through US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) health hazard evaluations. Methods: We performed analyses describing the number and percentage of current and former workers from popcorn and flavouring manufacturing facilities where NIOSH administered a respiratory health questionnaire and spirometry testing who met case definitions of suspecte flavuoring-related lung disease. Case definitions were pathologist reported: lung biopsy pathology report stating supportive of/consistent with constrictive bronchiolitis or bronchiolitis obliterans; probable: obstructive/mixed spirometric pattern with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) <60% predicted; possible: obstructive/mixed spirometric pattern with FEV1 >60% or any spirometric restriction; symptoms only: normal spirometry plus exertional dyspnoea or usual cough. Results: During 2000-2012, NIOSH collected questionnaire and spirometry data on 1407 workers (87.0% current, 13.0% former) at nine facilities in eight states. After applying case definitions, 4 (0.3%) were classified as pathologist reported, 48 (3.4%) as probable, 234 (16.6%) as possible and 404 (28.7%) as symptoms only. The remaining 717 (51.0%) workers had normal spirometry without exertional dyspnoea or usual cough. Seven of 11 workers with biopsies did not meet the pathologist-reported case definition, although four met probable and three met possible. Conclusions This approach demonstrates the substantial burden of respiratory abnormalities in these workers. A similar approach could quantify the burden of respiratory abnormalities in other industries that use diacetyl. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Lung Diseases Occupational Health Pathology Respiratory Function Tests Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Bronchiolitis Obliterans Bronchiolitis Diacetyl Flavourings Food Additives Lung Disease Popcorn Flavorings Respiratory Respiratory System Disorders Spirometry
• ISSN:
  1351-0711
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 8 ; Utah ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  RHD - Respiratory Health Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  75
• Issue:
  10
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20052127
• Citation:
  Occup Environ Med 2018 Oct; 75(10):709-715
• Contact Point Address:
  Dr Ethan D Fechter-Leggett, Respiratory Health Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Morgantown, WV 26505, USA
• Email:
  iun8@cdc.gov
• CAS Registry Number:
  Butanedione (CAS RN 431-03-8)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2019
• NORA Priority Area:
  Manufacturing
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:d22abc172b0a6a9bd03f45eb0c20581ae307f63bc6f9b9b078d218065805a0d48a56420bcecefaafeee2383d8c049f5f9a9ec362e1b8a03db881f68bc531cbd1
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/211717/cdc_211717_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 480.94 KB ]