Popcorn Lung and the Flu

[Blue Cliff Roaster]

Well there goes roasting for today....I found this article regarding coffee roasting and the Influenza A virus.

Have been hearing a lot of news regarding Diacetyl created during roasting and grinding of coffee and the long term detrimental effects on lung health.

Here is a quick synopsis of the article below (cut and paste the URL for the full article);

It seems that even a small amounts of Diacetyl, tho not normally too bad unless say you regularly operate an industrial grinder, is greatly compounded when combined with the flu. To what seems like a scary degree.

Research: Common Coffee Chemical Combined with Flu May Damage Lungs

Short-term exposure to a chemical compound created in the coffee roasting process called diacetyl may have damaging effects on lung health.

dailycoffeenews.com

 

[Coffee_Mad_Man]

Well there goes roasting for today....I found this article regarding coffee roasting and the Influenza A virus.

Have been hearing a lot of news regarding Diacetyl created during roasting and grinding of coffee and the long term detrimental effects on lung health.

Here is a quick synopsis of the article below (cut and paste the URL for the full article);

It seems that even a small amounts of Diacetyl, tho not normally too bad unless say you regularly operate an industrial grinder, is greatly compounded when combined with the flu. To what seems like a scary degree.

Research: Common Coffee Chemical Combined with Flu May Damage Lungs

Short-term exposure to a chemical compound created in the coffee roasting process called diacetyl may have damaging effects on lung health.

dailycoffeenews.com

Wow... I'll make sure I'm wearing my filtered gas mask when making coffee then!

 

[Coffee_Mad_Man]

I'm glad I don't eat microwave popcorn anymore...

 

[Blue Cliff Roaster]

I'm glad I don't eat microwave popcorn anymore...

Oy! I wonder what Niosh level is recommended for Diacetyl? Those respirators looked pretty pricy. 2025 will be the year of figuring out ventilation. Thanks for the share!

 

[shadow745]

Like most aspects in life just another overrated concern if you ask me. Everything we do every day can lead to harmful long term health issues. FWIW I've been diagnosed for decades as having severe chronic persistent asthma with a restrictive component and am monitored often. Been home roasting over 8 yrs now and my lung function/overall health has not gotten the least bit worse from my roasting. If decent steps are taken it can surely be done quite safely long term. I roast outdoors year round and usually have steady wind due to how the jet stream is in our area, giving plenty of straight line breeze. On the rare days things are still I will wear a thick mask just to be sure. Granted if someone is really cranking out the smoke with lots of batches, going darker, in an unventilated space no doubt it has to cause health issues in time. Same could be said for constant frying/grilling in confined spaces as well.

 

[Blue Cliff Roaster]

Like most aspects in life just another overrated concern if you ask me. Everything we do every day can lead to harmful long term health issues. FWIW I've been diagnosed for decades as having severe chronic persistent asthma with a restrictive component and am monitored often. Been home roasting over 8 yrs now and my lung function/overall health has not gotten the least bit worse from my roasting. If decent steps are taken it can surely be done quite safely long term. I roast outdoors year round and usually have steady wind due to how the jet stream is in our area, giving plenty of straight line breeze. On the rare days things are still I will wear a thick mask just to be sure. Granted if someone is really cranking out the smoke with lots of batches, going darker, in an unventilated space no doubt it has to cause health issues in time. Same could be said for constant frying/grilling in confined spaces as well.

It may have come out a bit doom casting. Certainly I won't stop roasting but I am going work on improving my air indoor quality...In the winter I can either not roast or roast indoors...I would be loath to give up roasting for that long.
It is good to hear about your situation and how you manage to still get down to it. They specifically mention Influenza A and I have no knowledge beyond that, really for me it is something to be aware of and I wanted to share with others who might find the info useful.
FWIW In Oct, long before I had even heard of this chemical, I decided to take advantage of a day I was off sick to do my weekly roasting. I love the smell of roasting coffee and regularly waft the exhaust from my M3s 200g loads through out the roasting stages waiting for that first crack indicating smell...all was semi normal (actually sick) until nearing first crack and my beloved smell.... I have never felt pain like that, it was like snorting a blow torch on every inhale. Things went back to normal by next roast and there was my beautiful smells again but I will tell you, even before I read and shared that article and watched the video Mad Man shared back in this thread, I already promised myself to "Never roast when I am sick"...so I already had a 'Why' strong enough to stop me cold.
I smoke the house out regularly with my Union roaster, a little of the old L'eau du Cafe, I didn't know it had such potential for harm. Seems to me that 'potential' from the article and video is pretty much tantamount to smacking a bull in the ass. At some point it may get real.
Frankly I am a bit envious of Shadow's out door roasting situation. When I first got my Union roaster I did roast with it out doors but the slightest breeze and my roasting times soared from a desirable 16mins to Promethean 55min of turning a handle round and round. I can't even imagine what the ROR would have looked like. Ironically the beans were decent.

 

[Coffee_Mad_Man]

It may have come out a bit doom casting. Certainly I won't stop roasting but I am going work on improving my air indoor quality...In the winter I can either not roast or roast indoors...I would be loath to give up roasting for that long.
It is good to hear about your situation and how you manage to still get down to it. They specifically mention Influenza A and I have no knowledge beyond that, really for me it is something to be aware of and I wanted to share with others who might find the info useful.
FWIW In Oct, long before I had even heard of this chemical, I decided to take advantage of a day I was off sick to do my weekly roasting. I love the smell of roasting coffee and regularly waft the exhaust from my M3s 200g loads through out the roasting stages waiting for that first crack indicating smell...all was semi normal (actually sick) until nearing first crack and my beloved smell.... I have never felt pain like that, it was like snorting a blow torch on every inhale. Things went back to normal by next roast and there was my beautiful smells again but I will tell you, even before I read and shared that article and watched the video Mad Man shared back in this thread, I already promised myself to "Never roast when I am sick"...so I already had a 'Why' strong enough to stop me cold.
I smoke the house out regularly with my Union roaster, a little of the old L'eau du Cafe, I didn't know it had such potential for harm. Seems to me that 'potential' from the article and video is pretty much tantamount to smacking a bull in the ass. At some point it may get real.
Frankly I am a bit envious of Shadow's out door roasting situation. When I first got my Union roaster I did roast with it out doors but the slightest breeze and my roasting times soared from a desirable 16mins to Promethean 55min of turning a handle round and round. I can't even imagine what the ROR would have looked like. Ironically the beans were decent.

I love the smell of roasting coffee too!
There was another video of a roasting plant where they changed it so it was well ventilated to ensure low levels of Diacetyl.
This was the video pre-changes:

This was the video post-changes:

What mask do you use @shadow745 ?

 

[Blue Cliff Roaster]

I love the smell of roasting coffee too!
There was another video of a roasting plant where they changed it so it was well ventilated to ensure low levels of Diacetyl.
This was the video pre-changes:

This was the video post-changes:

What mask do you use @shadow745 ?

Thanks for posting those videos! What an awesome company!!
Nice to see that there are reasonable and effective ways to deal with it where it is problematic.

 

[shadow745]

I didn't read much into it and possible issues mixing roasting with illness. I will honestly say I can easily laugh at such weak viruses mentioned in various articles after having survived cryptococcal meningitis and 2 strokes stemming from that/treatment needed 6+ yrs ago. That permanently destroyed all hearing in both ears and really affected roasting as I relied heavily on hearing development as well as smell. Also lost taste/smell for awhile, but kept at it knowing what my extractions 'should' taste like, lmao. Those senses (taste/smell) did recover for the most part, but was a rude awakening getting used to roasting profoundly deaf. I then incorporated more forms of temp measurement so I had consistent readings to match visual/smell. But yep I built my setup to be very capable/robust and have roasted on a 20 degree day with sustained winds measuring 15-20 mph... official wind chill/feels like temp was 8 degrees F and my heat gun still easily handled that with 40% capacity on standby. Roast times/temps were spot on. Back on topic I suppose!

 

[Blue Cliff Roaster]

I didn't read much into it and possible issues mixing roasting with illness. I will honestly say I can easily laugh at such weak viruses mentioned in various articles after having survived cryptococcal meningitis and 2 strokes stemming from that/treatment needed 6+ yrs ago. That permanently destroyed all hearing in both ears and really affected roasting as I relied heavily on hearing development as well as smell. Also lost taste/smell for awhile, but kept at it knowing what my extractions 'should' taste like, lmao. Those senses (taste/smell) did recover for the most part, but was a rude awakening getting used to roasting profoundly deaf. I then incorporated more forms of temp measurement so I had consistent readings to match visual/smell. But yep I built my setup to be very capable/robust and have roasted on a 20 degree day with sustained winds measuring 15-20 mph... official wind chill/feels like temp was 8 degrees F and my heat gun still easily handled that with 40% capacity on standby. Roast times/temps were spot on. Back on topic I suppose!

Wow!...You have definitely earned the right to sneer at any such puny viruses, and have my unabashed respect.
Admittedly I did have to convert 8F as a Canuk but -13C is definitely cold enough to pucker the waddles of an angry Cassowary. Gives me hope that my unheated garage may be workable.
I have questions...

1. Do you do anything, or find the need, to shield your set up from wind?

2. Have you found much difference in results; say summer vs. winter roasts?

 

[shadow745]

1. Nope, actually the only thing I decided to add is that aluminum pipe reducer on top to act as a chimney of sorts. It being tapered it reduces airflow a tiny bit and helps retain heat as well as preventing wind from making its way down into the roaster. The way I designed/built it no preheat is needed and it just rocks with everything I put it through.
2. Nope on that as well as I just make heat gun temp/agitation speed changes to offset ambient temp, etc. and my times/temps are so consistent I can just about do it blindfolded. One thing I didn't like about most purpose built roasters is the steps needed to roast in colder/windy weather as many just weren't up to the task without mods or workarounds. I built mine to minimize heat loss, being affected by gusty wind, that sort of thing as in enclosing any areas affected by wind, keeping temp probes in key locations for real time feedback, etc. No insulation either.