Abstract

ALONSO ESPADALE, Rosa María; SOLANS LAMPURLANES, Xavier  and  CONSTANS AUBERT, Angelina. Exposición laboral a hongos en una planta de procesamiento de café. Med. segur. trab. [online]. 2008, vol.54, n.211, pp.31-37. ISSN 1989-7790.

The green coffee, depending on the treatment that receives after the crop can reach the processing plants contaminated by fungi. This exposure may produce some effects on the workers health, causing allergic reactions and respiratory diseases. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determinate the fungi concentrations which are exposed to the workers in the different operations that are done in a coffee processing plant. Materials and methods: The environmental samples were obtained by plate impactation with the M Air T Millipore sampler. There was determined total fungi concentration and predominant fungi were identified. Results: Airbone fungal concentrations higher than 12000 ufc/m³ have been found over coffee beans unloading operations. The fungi genera identified were Aspergillus (A. flavus, A. niger y A. ochraceus), Fusarium, Moniliella, Mucor, Rhizopus, Scopulariopsis and Syncephalastrum racemosum. Conclusions: Workers at coffee processing plants may be exposed to high environmental fungi concentrations during coffee beans unloading operations. Furthermore, due to the presence of toxigenic fungi species, a potential exposure to the mycotoxins produced by these fungi may not be dismissed.

Keywords : Coffee processing; occupational exposure; environmental fungi.

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