Chemicals

NIOSH Recommends Exposure Limits, Controls for Flavoring Chemicals

Have you enjoyed a tasty cup of flavored coffee or delicious hot buttery popcorn lately? That rich flavor probably came from an extracted and concentrated form of one or more naturally occurring chemical substances—substances that, in their pure chemical form, have the very chemical-sounding names of diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione.

Incorporated into food, these chemicals enhance both smell and taste. Because they’re naturally occurring, it might be tempting to assume that they’re safe. But in the concentrated exposures experienced by workers who manufacture these food products, the chemicals cause progressive scarring and damage deep in the lungs.

To protect workers exposed to these chemicals, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently published Criteria for a Recommended Standard: Occupational Exposure to Diacetyl and 2,3-Pentanedione, which includes up-to-date toxicity information and protective recommendations.
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