Cooks' union calls for diacetyl ban

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- A union for U.S. hotel, restaurant and kitchen workers has called on cooking oil manufacturers to stop using a toxic butter-flavoring additive called diacetyl.

"It could pose a serious health risk to commercial cooks and UNITE HERE is calling for fast action by the food industry to cease the use of diacetyl flavoring in commercial and home cooking products," the union said in a written statement.

Meanwhile, members of Congress have called for a federal investigation into the use of the flavor additive, including where and how it's being used and whether workers are being harmed, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported Monday.

"It is urgent that we finally determine the national scope of exposure and illness related to diacetyl-containing food flavoring," said a letter from the House Committee on Education and Health delivered Friday to Dr. John Howard, director of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.

The Food and Drug Administration says there is nothing it can do for kitchen workers because it's concerned only with harm from eating diacetyl, not from inhaling the additive.

"FDA does not have regulatory authority with respect to occupational safety issues," said FDA spokesman Michael Herndon.