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Original article
Burden of respiratory abnormalities in microwave popcorn and flavouring manufacturing workers
  1. Ethan D Fechter-Leggett1,
  2. Sandra K White1,2,
  3. Kathleen B Fedan1,
  4. Jean M Cox-Ganser1,
  5. Kristin J Cummings1
  1. 1 Respiratory Health Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
  2. 2 Department of Pathology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
  1. Correspondence to 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; iun8{at}cdc.gov

Abstract

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 suspected flavouring-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.

  • diacetyl
  • flavourings
  • bronchiolitis obliterans
  • respiratory

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Footnotes

  • Contributors All authors meet the criteria for authorship.

  • Funding This work was supported by intramural National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) funding from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

  • Disclaimer The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Patient consent No individually identifiable information is presented.

  • Ethics approval NIOSH IRB.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.