Formaldehyde and Acetaldehyde Exposure in “Non-Traditional” Occupational Sectors: Bakeries and Pastry Producers

Abstract

Introduction. Formaldehyde, a colorless and highly irritating substance, causes cancer of the nasopharynx and leukemia. Furthermore, it is one of the environmental mutagens to which humans are most abundantly exposed. Acetaldehyde was recently classified as carcinogen class 1B and mutagen class 2 in Annex VI EC regulation. Occupational exposure to the two aldehydes occurs in a wide variety of occupations and industries. The aim of this study is to deepen exposure to the two aldehydes in the non-traditional productive sectors of bakeries and pastry producers. Methods. The evaluation of exposure to formaldehyde and acetaldehyde was conducted in Italy in 2019, in specific tasks and positions of 11 bakeries and pastry producers (115 measures, of which 57.4% were in fixed positions and the rest were personal air sampling). The measurements were performed using Radiello© radial diffusion samplers. A logarithmic transformation of the data was performed, and the correlation between the two substances was calculated. Moreover, linear models considering the log-formaldehyde as the outcome and adjusting for log-acetaldehyde values were used. Results. The study identified high levels of acetaldehyde and formaldehyde exposure in the monitored workplaces. Higher mean values were observed in the leavening phase (8.39 µg/m3 and 3.39 µg/m3 for log-transformed data acetaldehyde and formaldehyde, respectively). The adjusted univariate analyses show statistically significant factors for formaldehyde as the presence of yeast, the presence of type 1 flour, the use of barley, the use of fats, the type of production, the use of spelt, and the presence of type 0 flour. Conclusions. The measurements confirmed the release of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde in bakeries and pastry industries, especially in some phases of the work process, such as leavening.

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“…Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contribute highly to airborne concentrations and have a tendency to remain elevated long after their release is stopped. , Aldehydes are one such VOC that have raised an alarm over the years due to their cytotoxic and carcinogenic nature . Among these, acetaldehyde (MeCHO) is considered as a class 1B carcinogen, , which upon acute exposure causes mild harm and irritation to skin and eyes, and the chronic stage of prolonged subjection leads to severe headache, vomiting, and DNA damage. Belonging to the H227 combustible liquid and class 4 toxicant, benzaldehyde (PhCHO) is another toxic VOC that imposes detrimental effects on the human respiratory and nervous system causing mutagenic defects in living organisms. , Moreover, its purchase is limited for the illicit use in manufacturing certain drugs .…”

Cancer and Food-Related Risks: A Review

“…As a consequence, dietary factors stand as the second most significant preventable contributor to cancer, following closely behind tobacco. A significant contribution of vitamins that prevent cancer, need to be established with a focus on the necessity of conducting controlled human intervention trials to validate the efficacy of vitamin supplementation 5,6 . All factors influencing the concentration of acetaldehyde in the saliva or intracolonic fluid are deemed crucial in the context of cancer probabilities.…”

A Pilot Study on Formaldehyde Exposure Risks of Bakery Workers

“…FA can appear in several sources other than food materials. Some sources include building materials such as plywood, particleboard and MDF, household products, such as cleaning agents, disinfectants and air fresheners or some essential oils from aromatic plants with antimicrobial activity [7,21]. FA can also be released when cosmetic items such as nail polish and hair straightening products contain FA-releasing ingredients.…”

“…Exposure to FA was shown to increase lung damage, minor airway anomalies and pulmonary ventilation resistance [18]. Some studies indicate that FA exposure can cause a gradual decline of WBC (white blood cells), platelets and Hb counts [15,21]. The DNA and chromosomes of human peripheral blood cells can be harmed by FA resulting in genotoxicity, particularly once biotransformation capability is reached [4,38].…”