The Burden of Respiratory Abnormalities Among Workers at Coffee Roasting and Packaging Facilities

Introduction: Respiratory hazards in the coffee roasting and packaging industry can include asthmagens such as green coffee bean and other dust and alpha-diketones such as diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione that can occur naturally from roasting coffee or artificially from addition of flavoring to coffee...

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Main Authors: R. Reid Harvey, Ethan D. Fechter-Leggett, Rachel L. Bailey, Nicole T. Edwards, Kathleen B. Fedan, M. Abbas Virji, Randall J. Nett, Jean M. Cox-Ganser, Kristin J. Cummings
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2020-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00005/full
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author R. Reid Harvey
Ethan D. Fechter-Leggett
Rachel L. Bailey
Nicole T. Edwards
Kathleen B. Fedan
M. Abbas Virji
Randall J. Nett
Jean M. Cox-Ganser
Kristin J. Cummings
author_facet R. Reid Harvey
Ethan D. Fechter-Leggett
Rachel L. Bailey
Nicole T. Edwards
Kathleen B. Fedan
M. Abbas Virji
Randall J. Nett
Jean M. Cox-Ganser
Kristin J. Cummings
author_sort R. Reid Harvey
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Respiratory hazards in the coffee roasting and packaging industry can include asthmagens such as green coffee bean and other dust and alpha-diketones such as diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione that can occur naturally from roasting coffee or artificially from addition of flavoring to coffee. We sought to describe the burden of respiratory abnormalities among workers at 17 coffee roasting and packaging facilities.Methods: We completed medical surveys at 17 coffee roasting and packaging facilities that included interviewer-administered questionnaires and pulmonary function testing. We summarized work-related symptoms, diagnoses, and spirometry testing results among all participants. We compared health outcomes between participants who worked near flavoring and who did not.Results: Participants most commonly reported nose and eye symptoms, and wheeze, with a work-related pattern for some. Symptoms and pulmonary function tests were consistent with work-related asthma in some participants. About 5% of workers had abnormal spirometry and most improved after bronchodilator. Health outcomes were similar between employees who worked near flavoring and who did not, except employees who worked near flavoring reported more chronic bronchitis and ever receiving a diagnosis of asthma than those who did not work near flavoring.Conclusion: The symptoms and patterns likely represent overlapping health effects of different respiratory hazards, including green coffee bean and other dust that can contribute to work-related asthma, and diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione that can contribute to obliterative bronchiolitis. Healthcare providers and occupational health and safety practitioners should be aware that workers at coffee roasting and packaging facilities are potentially at risk for occupational lung diseases.
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spelling doaj.art-4810c6f5f7dd491b8c98971a019e0bc72022-12-22T01:29:41ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652020-01-01810.3389/fpubh.2020.00005505717The Burden of Respiratory Abnormalities Among Workers at Coffee Roasting and Packaging FacilitiesR. Reid HarveyEthan D. Fechter-LeggettRachel L. BaileyNicole T. EdwardsKathleen B. FedanM. Abbas VirjiRandall J. NettJean M. Cox-GanserKristin J. CummingsIntroduction: Respiratory hazards in the coffee roasting and packaging industry can include asthmagens such as green coffee bean and other dust and alpha-diketones such as diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione that can occur naturally from roasting coffee or artificially from addition of flavoring to coffee. We sought to describe the burden of respiratory abnormalities among workers at 17 coffee roasting and packaging facilities.Methods: We completed medical surveys at 17 coffee roasting and packaging facilities that included interviewer-administered questionnaires and pulmonary function testing. We summarized work-related symptoms, diagnoses, and spirometry testing results among all participants. We compared health outcomes between participants who worked near flavoring and who did not.Results: Participants most commonly reported nose and eye symptoms, and wheeze, with a work-related pattern for some. Symptoms and pulmonary function tests were consistent with work-related asthma in some participants. About 5% of workers had abnormal spirometry and most improved after bronchodilator. Health outcomes were similar between employees who worked near flavoring and who did not, except employees who worked near flavoring reported more chronic bronchitis and ever receiving a diagnosis of asthma than those who did not work near flavoring.Conclusion: The symptoms and patterns likely represent overlapping health effects of different respiratory hazards, including green coffee bean and other dust that can contribute to work-related asthma, and diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione that can contribute to obliterative bronchiolitis. Healthcare providers and occupational health and safety practitioners should be aware that workers at coffee roasting and packaging facilities are potentially at risk for occupational lung diseases.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00005/fullcoffee roasting and packagingoccupational asthmaobliterative bronchiolitisflavoringdiacetyl2
spellingShingle R. Reid Harvey
Ethan D. Fechter-Leggett
Rachel L. Bailey
Nicole T. Edwards
Kathleen B. Fedan
M. Abbas Virji
Randall J. Nett
Jean M. Cox-Ganser
Kristin J. Cummings
The Burden of Respiratory Abnormalities Among Workers at Coffee Roasting and Packaging Facilities
Frontiers in Public Health
coffee roasting and packaging
occupational asthma
obliterative bronchiolitis
flavoring
diacetyl
2
title The Burden of Respiratory Abnormalities Among Workers at Coffee Roasting and Packaging Facilities
title_full The Burden of Respiratory Abnormalities Among Workers at Coffee Roasting and Packaging Facilities
title_fullStr The Burden of Respiratory Abnormalities Among Workers at Coffee Roasting and Packaging Facilities
title_full_unstemmed The Burden of Respiratory Abnormalities Among Workers at Coffee Roasting and Packaging Facilities
title_short The Burden of Respiratory Abnormalities Among Workers at Coffee Roasting and Packaging Facilities
title_sort burden of respiratory abnormalities among workers at coffee roasting and packaging facilities
topic coffee roasting and packaging
occupational asthma
obliterative bronchiolitis
flavoring
diacetyl
2
url https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpubh.2020.00005/full
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