05/13/2025: The Impact of Line Speed on Worker Exposure to Peracetic Acid in Poultry and Swine Processing

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Photo of Jenny Leigh Houlroyd, DrPH, CIH

About the webinar:

The PULSE Poultry Study evaluated over 1,000 workers across 11 plants in 2024 to understand the impact of line speed on worker exposure to PAA in poultry and swine processing. Peracetic Acid (PAA) is a powerful oxidizing agent used as an antimicrobial processing aid in poultry and swine processing establishments. PAA is an organic peroxide that is flammable above 40.5°C (105°F) and has an explosion point of explosion point of 43.3°C (110°F). PAA formulations for antimicrobial intervention are an equilibrium mixture of PAA, hydrogen peroxide, and acetic acid. PAA exposure has been associated with multiple adverse health outcomes in human populations, including lacrimation, mild to severe discomfort of mucous and nasal membranes, and irritation of mucous and nasal membranes (Pechacek, 2015). PAA exposure has also been associated with upper and lower respiratory tract symptoms, including wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness (Blackley, 2023). Several case studies have found exposure to PAA may result in the development of occupational asthma (Cristofari-Marquand et al., 2007; Hawley et al., 2018; Walters et al., 2019). One in five jobs tested had levels of peracetic acid in the air that were higher than safety recommendations.

Learning Objectives

At the completion of this activity, the learner will be able to:

Describe the health effects of exposure to peracetic acid
Compare worker exposure levels to peracetic acid in poultry versus swine processing
Differentiate the impact that increasing line speed has on worker exposure to peracetic acid
Prioritize improvements using the hierarchy of controls to reduce worker exposure while maintaining the integrity of food safety

Speaker: Jenny Leigh Houlroyd, DrPH, CIH

Jenny Leigh Houlroyd, DrPH, CIH, earned her Doctorate in Public Health from the University of Georgia in Public Health Policy, a joint Master of Science in Public Health in Epidemiology and Environmental and Occupational Health from the Rollins Schools of Public Health at Emory University, and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. As a certified industrial hygienist with the Georgia Tech Safety and Health Consultation Program, she assists small businesses throughout Georgia to ensure that their workplaces are as free from hazards as possible and that workers are protected from potential health threats. She has had extensive experience with public speaking in both the occupational and academic setting, serving as faculty for the Georgia Tech OTI Education Center and the Professional Master’s in Occupational Safety and Health program.

ACCREDITATION

The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health designates this activity for a maximum of 1.0 Contact Hour. Participants should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.

Certificates of Completion

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In order to receive your Certificate of Completion, qualified learners must complete the post-webinar evaluation within 7 days of the webinar. A link to the evaluation will be emailed to qualified learners 24 hours after the webinar via no-reply@zoom.us. Qualified learners who submit their evaluation will receive a Certificate of Completion via email, and can also print/save the certificate from their browser after submitting their evaluation.

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ACCESSIBILITY:

If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) to fully participate in this event, please contact Michelle Meyer at (510) 642-8365 or mmeyer@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail) with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days in advance of the event.

About the Northern California ERC

The goal of the Northern California ERC, a consortium of programs at the University of California’s Center of Occupational and Environmental Health, is to train professionals as practitioner and research leaders in occupational safety and health by offering graduate degrees, residency training, clinical experiences, and research mentorship to trainees. The aim of the ERC is to provide a broad, multidisciplinary educational experience involving student and faculty collaborations in the classroom, laboratory, and field. Through academic training, research, and community service projects, our faculty and trainees address ongoing and emerging challenges facing US Workers. Activities are grounded in multi-campus, interactive teaching programs that translate knowledge into information that can be used to improve worker safety and health.