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Published online before print November 21, 2007
Eur Respir J 2007, doi:10.1183/09031936.00106407
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Respiratory effects of occupational exposures in a milk powder factory

P. Sripaiboonkij 1, W. Phanprasit 2, M.S. Jaakkola 3*

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, Thailand
3 Institute of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; and Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Division of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: m.jaakkola{at}bham.ac.uk.


  Abstract

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 this study was to assess the effects of occupational exposures in a milk powder factory on respiratory symptoms and lung function.

We conducted a cross-sectional study of 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 as additional information on exposures.

Mean respirable dust concentrations in the factory were 0.02–2.18 mg·m-3. Adjusted OR of breathlessness (OR 3.05, 95% CI 1.21–7.69) and nasal symptoms (2.57, 1.06–6.22) were significantly increased in production and packing staff. The OR of skin symptoms (4.48, 1.36–14.75) was significantly increased in those adding vitamin mixture to milk powder. Factory workers had significantly lower FEV1 % of predicted (-4.23, -7.70– -0.76).

This study provided new evidence that workers exposed to milk powder by inhalation are at increased risk of nasal symptoms, wheezing and breathlessness, and have reduced spirometric lung function, even in relatively low air concentrations of milk dust.

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




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M. S. Jaakkola and P. Sripaiboonkij
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Eur. Respir. J., September 1, 2008; 32(3): 820 - 821.
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