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Published29. December 2023, 09:31
Australia: “Very spicy” snacks endanger workers’ health
Employees at a factory that produces spicy foods complain of sneezing, coughing, eye irritation and breathing problems.
In this product line, a “spice machine” distributes the spices throughout the factory every two weeks.
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Workers at an Australian PepsiCo factory are being exposed to “very spicy” flavoring of Doritos and Cheetos snacks at the expense of their health, according to a national union report submitted to authorities. A spokesman for the Australian Occupational Health and Safety Agency said on Friday that the agency was reviewing the text to determine whether action was required.
According to the United Workers Union report, workers at the Smith’s Snackfood Company factory in Adelaide reported “difficulty breathing.” This also leads to sneezing, coughing and irritation of the eyes and skin. Eleven of the thirteen workers surveyed who work during the same time slot showed symptoms of illness, union officials said.
Wearing a mask is mandatory
For the range of “very hot” products (“Flamin’ Hot” in English), a “seasoning machine” distributes the spices throughout the factory every two weeks, it is said. A spokesman for giant PepsiCo, owner of the contaminated site, stressed that employee safety is its “top priority.”
The plant follows safety protocols for products containing hot spices, he added. “To reinforce these (safety) measures at our Adelaide site, wearing a mask is mandatory during the production of this product and we are installing additional fans,” he assured.
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(AFP)
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