ACI Group highlights low-dust flour solution as HSE intensifies bakery inspections
The renewed focus on flour dust management follows ongoing efforts by the HSE to reduce the incidence of occupational asthma, one of the most common work-related lung diseases in the UK.
UK – ACI Group, a leading ingredients distributor, has launched a targeted campaign promoting its innovative low-dust flour solution, positioning it as a highly effective tool for industrial bakeries navigating a strict new wave of regulatory enforcement.
The announcement arrives in direct response to the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) ramping up unannounced workplace inspections across large-scale commercial bakery operations throughout the country.
The federal regulatory crackdown is specifically evaluating how businesses manage employee exposure to hazardous airborne ingredients, with a particular focus on raw flour dust and active enzyme blends.
Flour dust remains one of the primary culprits behind occupational asthma and respiratory hypersensitivity among food manufacturing workers in Great Britain.
Routine operations such as high-volume bag tipping, ingredient weighing, hand-dusting conveyor lines, and dough moulding frequently generate high levels of fine airborne particulates.
Once a worker becomes respiratory-sensitized to these particles, even microscopic future exposures can trigger severe, irreversible asthmatic symptoms.
Because of these long-term occupational health risks, the HSE is legally requiring commercial bakeries to demonstrate strict adherence to the mandatory hierarchy of controls specified in the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations.
To help industrial manufacturers meet these stringent safety thresholds, ACI Group is showcasing its specialized TIP-TOP Ultra Clean release flour.
The product undergoes an advanced, proprietary hydrothermal treatment process that fundamentally alters the wheat’s baseline starch structures.
This modification drastically restricts the formulation of fine, lightweight airborne particles during heavy handling and mechanical application. Empirical performance data indicate that using this treated alternative can eliminate between 70% and 80% of typical airborne flour dust when compared directly against standard, untreated dusting flours.
ACI Group highlights that adopting low-dust flour allows commercial bakeries to mitigate health risks directly at the source, rather than relying heavily on costly, lagging downstream solutions such as mechanical local exhaust ventilation (LEV) systems or uncomfortable respiratory protective equipment (RPE).
HSE officials have formally noted that regulatory compliance is no longer evaluated solely by the presence of standard extraction fans on the factory floor; instead, inspectors are actively auditing whether companies have first evaluated elimination and substitution tactics.
Beyond protecting worker health, the specialized flour offers operational benefits, including simplified sanitation schedules, lower ambient equipment contamination, and reduced product waste.
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