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A new study—published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report— reveals that eight cases of an extremely rare and potentially fatal type of lung disease has been found in individuals who worked in California food flavoring factories between 2004 and 2007.

Bronchiolitis Obliterans

According to the study, the deadly lung disease called bronchiolitis obliterans may occur when workers inhale diacetyl—a chemical that poses toxic health risks and has also been linked to the disease in workers in the microwave popcorn industry.

“Bronchiolitis obliterans is a severe lung disease that can be prevented with appropriate measures, such as engineering controls, work practices, medical surveillance, and a respiratory protection program,” said co-author of the study Dr. Rachael Bailey, of the CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

While diacetyl seems to be the culprit of the lung disease, “there are literally thousands of chemicals that are used in making these flavorings and not all of them have been evaluated, so other chemicals may cause the disease as well,” Bailey added.

No Regulations

Currently, there are no guidelines that regulate food flavoring plants or the chemicals that are commonly used in them. The CDC has requested the manufacturers take steps to create a safer workplace environments, including respiratory and ventilation protection for plant workers.

Experts advise food flavoring plant workers who experience any symptoms of the lung disease—such as shortness of breath or a severe cough—to seek medical attention.

“Occupational lung disease is a hazard in many industries, from mining to farming to automotive work,” said Dr. David Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine. “These case reports suggest the need to add the food flavoring industry to the list, and to establish and enforce suitable safeguards so that workers are protected.”

However, these diseases could raise far more serious concerns for the public at large. “If the chemicals used in the flavoring industry are this potentially dangerous to the workers handling them, how good an idea can it be for the rest of us to be eating them,” said Katz. “Personally, I think artificial flavors should neither be inhaled, nor ingested.”

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