Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Respiratory function and immunological status in cocoa and flour processing workers

E Zuskin1, B Kanceljak, E N Schachter

  • 1Andrija Stampar School of Public Health, Medical Faculty University of Zagreb, Croatia.

American Journal of Industrial Medicine
|December 31, 1997
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Clinical value of metabolic PET parameters of primary vulvar carcinoma.

Revista espanola de medicina nuclear e imagen molecular·2021
Same author

Indacaterol/glycopyrronium bromide fixed-dose combination for the treatment of COPD.

Drugs of today (Barcelona, Spain : 1998)·2013
Same author

Response to oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) extract by sensitized and nonsensitized guinea pig trachea.

Lung·2011
Same author

New β₂-adrenoceptor agonists for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Drugs of today (Barcelona, Spain : 1998)·2011
Same author

A case of unilateral mydriasis secondary to septoplasty under local anaesthesia.

B-ENT·2010
Same author

Assessment of co-existence of Helicobacter pylori and Candida fungi in diseases of the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Journal of physiology and pharmacology : an official journal of the Polish Physiological Society·2010
Same journal

Essential, Yet Precarious, Mistreated, Sick and Medicalized: A Sequential Explanatory Mixed-Methods Study on Homecare Aides in Spain.

American journal of industrial medicine·2026
Same journal

Health Impacts of the World Trade Center Disaster-A Call to Study Those Exposed at a Young Age.

American journal of industrial medicine·2026
Same journal

Postsurgical Opioid Prescribing Among Injured Workers in Washington State: 2017-2020 Trends and Policy Effects.

American journal of industrial medicine·2026
Same journal

Life in the Driver's Seat: A Qualitative Analysis of Rideshare Drivers' Perspectives of Their Work and Well-Being Using Reddit Posts.

American journal of industrial medicine·2026
Same journal

Response to Healthcare Workers' Workplace Violence in Colombia.

American journal of industrial medicine·2026
Same journal

Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, but Not to Dust or Fluorides, in the Norwegian Aluminum Industry Is Associated With Accelerated Annual Decline in Lung Function.

American journal of industrial medicine·2026
See all related articles

Workers in cocoa and flour processing experience high rates of respiratory symptoms and reduced lung function, indicating significant occupational health risks. Exposure to these dusts can lead to allergic sensitization and impaired respiratory health.

Area of Science:

  • Occupational Health
  • Pulmonary Medicine
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Confectionery industry workers handling cocoa and flour face potential respiratory and immunological health risks.
  • Previous studies suggest occupational exposures can lead to respiratory ailments, but specific data on cocoa and flour packers are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess respiratory function and immunological status in cocoa and flour processing workers.
  • To determine the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and occupational asthma in exposed workers compared to controls.
  • To investigate the relationship between dust exposure and lung function changes.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study comparing 40 cocoa workers, 53 flour workers, and 65 unexposed control workers.
  • Assessed chronic and acute respiratory symptoms, diagnosed occupational asthma, and measured ventilatory capacity using spirometry and MEFV curves.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Performed skin prick tests for allergens and measured total serum IgE levels; conducted bronchoprovocation tests.

    • Main Results:

    • Exposed workers showed significantly higher prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms (5.0-30.0%) and acute symptoms like cough and eye irritation.
    • Occupational asthma was diagnosed in 5-5.7% of exposed workers; none in controls. Significant across-shift reductions in lung function (FEF50, FEF75) were observed.
    • Higher prevalence of positive skin tests to cocoa (60.2%) and flour (25.8%) in exposed workers. Elevated total serum IgE levels (17.5-18.7%) were found only in exposed groups.

    Conclusions:

    • Workers in cocoa and flour processing exhibit a high risk of developing allergic sensitization and respiratory impairment.
    • Occupational exposure to cocoa and flour dusts leads to significant respiratory symptoms and reduced lung function.
    • Current dust concentrations exceed recommended standards, necessitating improved workplace safety measures.