Egilman David, Mailloux Caroline, Valentin Claire
Brown University, Attleboro, MA 02703, USA.
Int J Occup Environ Health. 2007 Jan-Mar;13(1):85-98. doi: 10.1179/107735207800244893.
Diacetyl-containing butter flavor was identified as the cause of an outbreak of bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) and other lung diseases in popcorn-plant workers. Litigation documents show that the outbreak was both predictable and preventable. The industry trade organization was aware of BO cases in workers at butter-flavoring and popcorn-manufacturing plants but often failed to implement industrial hygiene improvements and actively hid pertinent warning information. Due to weaknesses in the organization and mandates of regulatory bodies, organizations such as NIOSH, OSHA, the FDA, particularly the "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) system, and the EPA failed to detect and prevent the outbreak, which highlights the need for systemic changes in food-product regulation, including the need for corporations to act responsibly, for stronger regulations with active enforcement, for a restructuring of the GRAS system, and for criminal penalties against corporations and professionals who knowingly hide information relevant to worker protection.
含双乙酰的黄油香精被认定为爆米花工厂工人爆发闭塞性细支气管炎（BO）及其他肺部疾病的病因。诉讼文件显示，此次疫情是可预测且可预防的。行业贸易组织知晓黄油调味剂和爆米花制造工厂工人中出现的BO病例，但往往未能实施工业卫生改进措施，还积极隐瞒相关警示信息。由于监管机构在组织和授权方面存在缺陷，诸如美国国家职业安全与健康研究所（NIOSH）、美国职业安全与健康管理局（OSHA）、美国食品药品监督管理局（FDA），尤其是“一般认为安全”（GRAS）体系以及美国环境保护局（EPA）等机构未能察觉并预防此次疫情爆发，这凸显了食品产品监管进行系统性变革的必要性，包括企业需承担责任、加强监管并积极执法、重组GRAS体系，以及对明知隐瞒与工人保护相关信息的企业和专业人员予以刑事处罚。
