Metro/Regional News - Investigative Report: Flavoring agent destroys lungs - sacbee.com

by ecj-MAXINE | July 30, 2006 at 08:10 am

617 views | 0 Recommendations | 0 comments

The two weren't working in a chemical or pesticide plant. Nor in a weapons plant. They didn't metal-plate, fumigate, degrease, demolish, smelt or weld. They made, of all things, artificial food flavorings.

Harmless as that seems, two big labor unions that champion ironworkers and meat cutters are now fighting for the workers who whip up piña colada, butterscotch and other flavors that sell America's snack foods. Just last week, 40 job health experts joined the Teamsters and the United Food and Commercial Workers in urging the Bush administration to issue an emergency order restricting worker exposure to a widely used butter flavoring -- a chemical called diacetyl.