Exposure to flour dust and sensitization among bakery employees

• Published in: American journal of industrial medicine 2010-12, Vol.53 (12), p.1225-1232
• Main Authors: Page, Elena H., Dowell, Chad H., Mueller, Charles A., Biagini, Raymond E., Heederik, Dick
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; alpha-Amylases - immunology; asthma; bakers; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma; Confidence Intervals; Dermatology; Dust - immunology; Female; flour; Flour - adverse effects; Flour - toxicity; Food Hypersensitivity - complications; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Occupational Diseases - epidemiology; Occupational Diseases - etiology; Occupational Exposure - adverse effects; Particulate Matter - toxicity; Pneumology; Prevalence; rash; respiratory; Risk Assessment; sensitization; Skin involvement in other diseases. Miscellaneous. General aspects; Statistics as Topic; Surveys and Questionnaires; Triticum aestivum; United States - epidemiology; wheat; Wheat Hypersensitivity - complications; α-amylase
• ISSN: 0271-3586; 1097-0274; 1097-0274
• DOI: 10.1002/ajim.20893

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, α‐amylase and wheat, a questionnaire, and blood tests for IgE specific to flour dust, wheat, α‐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 α‐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. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:1225–1232, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.