Exposures and Health Effects of Bioaerosols in Seafood Processing Workers - a Position Statement

Abstract

Occupational hazards exist in the processing of seafood both in land-based facilities as well as on board vessels. Recent findings on occupational injury and respiratory health risks among seafood processing workers were presented and discussed at the IFISH5 conference. Particular emphasis was put on the challenges that im/migrant workers encounter, the greater risks onboard factory vessels, especially where processing machinery are retrofitted to older vessels not primarily designed for this purpose, and the difficulties in assessing and preventing bioaerosol exposures and associated respiratory health risks despite recent advances in characterising agents responsible for allergic and non-allergic reactions. Based on appraisal of existing knowledge in the published literature and new findings presented at the conference, recommendations for immediate actions as well as for future research have been proposed. Among these include the importance of improving extraction ventilation systems, optimising machinery performance, enclosure of bioaerosol sources, improved work organization, and making special efforts to identify and support the needs of im/migrant workers to ensure they also benefit from such improvements. There is a need for studies that incorporate longitudinal study designs, have improved exposure and diagnostic methods, and that address seafood processing in countries with high seafood processing activities such as Asia and those that involve im/migrant workers worldwide. The medical and scientific community has an important role to play in prevention but cannot do this in isolation and should cooperate closely with hygienists, engineers, and national and international agencies to obtain better health outcomes for workers in the seafood industry.

Rhino Conjunctivitis and Asthma Among Seafood Processing Workers in Greenland. A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Furthermore, the occupational asthma prevalence in the present study is within the range of findings in other studies. Previous studies have found an occupational asthma prevalence ranging from 4 to 36% regarding shellfish and 2 to 8% regarding fish ( 5 , 6 , 21 ). The prevalence range of occupational asthma are widely different in previous studies.…”

Prevalence of Adverse Health Behaviors and Conditions Among Maritime Workers, BRFSS 2014 to 2018, 38 States

“…Recent studies from researchers in Norway, Greenland, and Sweden found that bioaerosol exposures from seafood processing facilities can contain endotoxins which could impact respiratory health. 25 Additionally, Wisconsin and Minnesota shipyard workers were found to have high blood lead levels, 26 and lead has been identified as a probable carcinogen. 27 Some maritime workers are also commonly exposed to exhausts, oils, and dusts while working.…”

“…Additionally, the development of chronic health conditions from work-related exposures may occur over longer periods of time and would thus not be prevalent in the working population. Recent studies from researchers in Norway, Greenland, and Sweden found that bioaerosol exposures from seafood processing facilities can contain endotoxins which could impact respiratory health 25 . Additionally, Wisconsin and Minnesota shipyard workers were found to have high blood lead levels, 26 and lead has been identified as a probable carcinogen 27 .…”

Proteomics-Based Methodologies for the Detection and Quantification of Seafood Allergens

“…A second example is the lipophilic oleosins, which are lost in the conventional extraction protocols [96]. These limitations can be extended to the aerosol form of seafood allergens, which are related to occupational allergies in seafood-transforming plants [6,97]. Then, new methods addressing differences in the solubility of proteins and sampling should be tailored for expanding the detection repertoire.…”