Measuring diacetyl and other substances
During fermentation (for example when making wine, beer or cheese) around 10 specific substances are naturally formed such as diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione. These substances contribute to the delicious taste of the products. It has already been shown that the substances are released from stored cocoa and coffee beans and also when producing processed foods or when processing organic raw materials.
Consuming vs inhaling
While consuming small amounts of these substances is not harmful, inhaling them daily at work can irreparably affect your health. Because these substances arise spontaneously in a wide range of processes and are highly volatile, many companies are unaware of the danger hanging in the atmosphere. Europe imposes strict exposure limits and in Belgium, for example, the limit value for diacetyl is 40 micrograms per cubic meter of air.