Sneezing, coughing, eye irritation… Workers at an Australian factory owned by US company PepsiCo are suffering health problems from a “super hot” spice used in the production of Doritos and Cheetos snacks, a national union report to authorities has said. AFP.

A spokesman for the Australian Health and Safety Executive said on Friday it was reviewing the report to determine whether any action was required.

Workers at the Smith’s Snackfood Company plant in Adelaide were experiencing “difficulty breathing”, according to a report by the Amalgamated Workers Union, which also cited sneezing, coughing and eye and skin irritation.

Eleven out of thirteen interviewed workers, who work at the same time, had symptoms of the disease, the trade unions reported.

For the Flamin’ Hot range of products, a “seasoning machine” scatters spices around the plant every two weeks, the union said.

A spokesman for food giant PepsiCo, which owns the plant, insisted that employee safety is its “top priority.” The plant follows safety protocols for products containing hot spices, he added.

“To enhance these (safety) measures at our Adelaide factory, it is mandatory to wear a mask during the production of this product and we are installing additional fans,” he said.

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