Symptoms in spice workers

Spices are widely used for flavouring food and are mostly grown in the tropics. Twenty-eight workers in a store processing cloves, pepper, nutmeg, mace and cardamom for export were studied. They were exposed to the dust of these products for short periods, in rotation. Seventy-six per cent of the workers experienced symptoms such as smarting of the nostrils and eyes, cough, sneezing and running nose while handling cloves. Similar symptoms occurred less frequently with pepper (44%). These symptoms were all temporary and lasted only during exposure. Nutmeg, mace and cardamom did not induce any untoward effects. These symptoms, which were absent in a control group, were attributable to irritation of the mucus membranes by the active principles of the spices. A comparison with two other spices, namely chilli and cinnamon, suggests a spectrum in which the frequency of symptoms is proportional to the pungency of the spice.