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Med. Pr. 2005;56(6):475-483

Occupational alergy: A major health hazard among food processing workers

Alergia zawodowa - istotne zagrożenie zdrowia pracowników przemysłu spożywczego

Sylwia świderska-Kiełbik, Anna Krakowiak, Tomasz Wittczak, Cezary PałczyńskiŤbr> Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódż, Poland

Abstract

Food-processing is one of the industries characterized by high exposure to occupational allergens. Exposure to allergens of plant or animal origin is most extensive during food processing, including meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, dairy products, and grain products as well as during production of animal feed and other foodstuffs. Respiratory diseases are the major problem in the food processing industry. It is essential to better recognize the structure of food allergens and mechanisms by which they induce diseases to identify risk factors and health problems which may occur in workers.
The authors describe the most essential food allergens responsible for occupational diseases, reactions resulting from exposure to food allergens in the occupational context, their diagnosis and prevention in food processing workers.

Key words

occupational allergy, food allergens, food processing workers