Federal Investigation Started into Professional Cooks and Diacetyl
Posted by Administrator (admin) on Mar 18 2008 at 4:27 PM
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A federal agency is investigating the hazards faced by cooks due to diacetyl exposure. State worker-safety agents in Seattle also are beginning a similar inquiry. The investigations started after two major studies confirmed that even low levels of diacetyl exposure can cause damage to tissues.

Kitchens in the Manhattan financial offices of JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs were inspected. Samples of the cooking oils and sprays being used and the air inhaled by cooks and other kitchen workers were taken last week by three teams of physicians and industrial hygienists.

The cooks were employed by Aramark, an international corporation that run 3,500 food service operations in the U.S.

The investigation was initiated by NIOSH as per the request of ‘UNITE HERE’, a union represents more than 450,000 hotels, Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees.

According to a report published in December after testing a simulated cooking with almost two dozen butters, margarines, oils and sprays used by home and professional cooks, diacetyl was found at the skillets, grill and everything tested. UNITE HERE requested the study after this report was released.

Eric Frumin, the director of occupational safety and health for the international union said it was high time to make such an investigation.

“A federal study like this is long overdue. Cooks all over the country are inhaling oil mist for hours every day. It’s still not clear how much diacetyl they are breathing in and what all hazards it can cause. That’s what we expect NIOSH will decide,” he said.

Two recently released animal studies by federal scientists have proved that hazards can be caused by even low-level diacetyl exposure.

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