Exposure to cooking fumes in cafeteria workers in Korean schools: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVES

This study measured cooking fumes to which workers in school cafeterias may be exposed.

METHODS

The measurement items were respirable dust, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide. A total of 111 samples were obtained from 55 schools. Data on variables such as school size and daily cooking oil usage were collected. Correlation and association analysis were performed.

RESULTS

The median of concentrations of respirable dust was 38.37 µg/m3 (min-max: 20.73-49.71 µg/m3). The concentrations of formaldehyde and carbon monoxide also showed levels that did not exceed 20% for occupational exposure limits. The increase in school size was significantly correlated with the increase in daily cooking oil usage and had a significant correlation with respirable dust concentration (Spearman's correlation coefficient, 0.36; P <0.05). The linear regression test results adjusting for other variables were also similar.

CONCLUSIONS

Cooking food by frying at high heat using cooking oil can increase the exposure of kitchen workers to respirable dust.