Health Hazard Evaluation Report, HETA-2008-0230-3096, General Mills, Los Angeles, CA, November 2009. Report on an Investigation of Buttermilk Flavoring Exposures and Respiratory Health at a Bakery Mix Production Facility

摘要

On July 8, 2008, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) received a confidential Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) request to perform an investigation of possible health hazards at the General Mills, Inc. bakery mix facility in Los Angeles, California. The requestors described concerns about respiratory health, including bronchiolitis obliterans which is a rare irreversible lung disease found in some workers exposed to diacetyl in flavorings. They noted exposure to hazardous chemicals, including flavorings containing diacetyl. Prior to their request, the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (CalOSHA) had visited the facility, performing a limited review under the Flavoring Industry Safety and Health Evaluation Program. NIOSH investigators were aware that a buttermilk flavoring containing 15-20% diacetyl was used at the facility in the past, which had been re-formulated and reported to contain less than 1 percent diacetyl. NIOSH investigators conducted telephone interviews with workers, union representatives, an inspector from CalOSHA familiar with the facility, and company management and safety officials. In September-October 2008, NIOSH staff conducted a medical survey at the plant consisting of an interviewer-administered questionnaire and lung function testing with spirometry before and after bronchodilator administration; they also observed production processes, collected bulk samples of flavorings, and measured concentrations of airborne contaminants in all areas of the facility.