HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Sripaiboonkij, P. Articles by Jaakkola, M. S. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Sripaiboonkij, P. Articles by Jaakkola, M. S.

Respiratory effects of occupational exposures in a milk powder factory

¹ Institute of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK, ² Dept of Occupational Health and Safety, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. ³ Respiratory Medicine Section, Division of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.

CORRESPONDENCE: M. S. Jaakkola, Institute of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT UK. Fax: 44 1214146217. E-mail: m.jaakkola{at}bham.ac.uk

Keywords: Lung function, milk powder, natural rubber latex, respiratory symptoms

Received: August 14, 2007
Accepted November 4, 2007

Ingestion of milk powder is a known cause of allergies in children, but the risks to respiratory health from exposure to inhaled milk powder have not been studied previously. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of occupational exposures in a milk powder factory on respiratory symptoms and lung function.

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 167 milk powder factory workers (response rate 77%) and 76 office workers (73%) from four factories in Thailand. All participants answered a questionnaire and performed spirometry. Measurements of concentrations of dust were used to give additional information on exposures.

Mean respirable dust concentrations in the factory were 0.02–2.18 mg·m^–3. The risk of breathlessness and nasal symptoms were significantly increased in production and packing staff. The risk of skin symptoms was significantly increased in those adding vitamin mixture to milk powder. Factory workers showed significantly lower forced expiratory volume in one second measured as percentage of predicted value.

The present study provides new evidence that workers exposed to milk powder by inhalation are at an increased risk of nasal symptoms, wheezing and breathlessness, and exhibit reduced spirometric lung function, even at relatively low air concentrations of milk dust.