Health Concerns About Brief Exposure to Diacetyl During Butter Flavor Production

I work in a flavor plant, not in production, but in the administrative area, although I have to go there every day to monitor the plant for a few minutes. Today I went into the warehouse and in a small room inside the warehouse they were making butter flavoring (I wouldn't say more than 100 kg). I was worried because as I passed by, I saw the tank and immediately smelled the butter. I didn't go into the small room, but I was about 20 or 30 meters outside, in the warehouse. The room isn't closed, in any case. I tried to get out of there as soon as possible.

I'm a little worried about my health (I'm a bit of a hypochondriac), I've only been working here for a few days.

Should I be worried? Do I need to see a doctor? I haven't felt any symptoms.

If you're in a manufacturing plant, you should have someone on-site to manage employee safety. I would recommend bringing your concerns to that person or your direct manager.

If employees are working in there, they would have a higher exposure than you did. Perhaps they are wearing masks, and if that's the case, you should be able to request one for when you need to monitor the plant each day. Better to be over protected and save your lungs. 

You could pull the SDS's for the ingredients and review them, if you have them. That won't tell the whole story if there are chemical interactions involved, but I wouldn't see why that was the case making butter flavoring.

As Katie said, discuss this with your health and safety manager if you have one. They would also be able to direct you right to the SDS.

I'm a Certified Flavor Chemist (and SQF Practitioner), and can tell you that there are other flavor chemicals and ingredients that smell like butter.  Most places have eliminated diacetyl - at least in the US they have. The easiest way to find out is to look at the SDS files.  In the US we have a "Right to Know" policy that requires employers to provide easy access to the SDS for chemicals used in the building.  If your country does not have that policy then you need to ask someone.  Since you are new, start with your supervisor.  Did you go through an employee orientation or training when you started?  If so, maybe someone from that training can advise you the best place to find out what you want to know.  Is there a Flavor Lab on the premises?  You can always ask a flavor chemist.  They will know if diacetyl is being used in any of the formulas. 

(I worked with diacetyl safely for 20 years, without PPE.  Just saying.)

Thanks Miri for the reassurance. 

So do you just ignore the warnings on container and SDS that say "severe lung damage may occur if inhaled" ? 

So do you just ignore the warnings on container and SDS that say "severe lung damage may occur if inhaled" ? 

I do not recommend ignoring the SDS.  

So how did you work with diacetyl without PPE?