ACI Group Highlights Low-Dust Flour Solution As HSE Intensifies Bakery Inspections
ACI Group is promoting its TIP-TOP® Ultra Clean release flour as a practical tool for bakeries seeking to reduce worker exposure to flour dust, as the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) steps up inspections across large bakery operations in Great Britain.
The inspections, taking place during 2026, are focused on how bakeries manage employee exposure to flour dust and other airborne ingredients associated with occupational asthma. According to HSE, inspectors will assess whether employers are applying the hierarchy of controls required under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations, with particular attention on whether elimination and substitution measures have been considered before relying on engineering controls or personal protective equipment.
Flour dust remains one of the leading causes of occupational asthma in Great Britain. HSE has repeatedly warned that workers who become sensitised may experience permanent health effects, with symptoms potentially triggered by even low levels of exposure. Common bakery activities such as ingredient tipping, dough handling and cleaning operations are recognised as significant sources of airborne flour dust.
Against this backdrop, ACI Group is positioning its TIP-TOP® Ultra Clean release flour as a substitution-based control measure designed to reduce dust generation at source.
“The hierarchy of control is not optional sequencing – it is the foundation of prevention,” said Jack Helm, Account Manager – Food at ACI Group. “If substitution is available and effective, then relying primarily on extraction or PPE means the risk has not been designed out.”
The company said the product undergoes a hydrothermal treatment process that modifies starch structures and reduces the formation of fine airborne particles during handling and application. According to ACI Group, the technology can reduce airborne flour dust by 70-80% compared with conventional dusting flours.
The company argues that reducing dust generation at source can help bakeries decrease their dependence on downstream control measures such as extraction systems and respiratory protective equipment.
“The most effective control is the one that prevents exposure from occurring in the first place,” the company said. “Once airborne dust is present, you are already managing risk downstream.”
Beyond occupational health considerations, ACI Group said lower airborne particulate levels can provide operational benefits, including improved workplace cleanliness, reduced contamination of equipment and production surfaces, and potentially lower demand on ventilation systems.
The company also highlighted data from an industrial bakery application where the adoption of a low-dust flour system was associated with lower flour consumption, reduced personal protective equipment waste and reduced carbon emissions linked to cleaning and ventilation requirements.
ACI Group noted that HSE has previously cited the use of low-dust flours and dust suppressants as effective methods for reducing employee exposure to flour dust, supporting broader efforts to minimise reliance on downstream mechanical controls.
The company believes the current inspection programme reflects an increasing regulatory emphasis on selecting the most effective control measures available rather than simply demonstrating the presence of controls.
“What inspections make clear is that compliance is no longer just about having controls in place,” the company said. “It is about whether the right controls have been selected in the first place. Substitution is increasingly the dividing line.”
Available in both conventional and organic formats, TIP-TOP® Ultra Clean is targeted at industrial bakery operators seeking to improve dust management practices while supporting compliance with COSHH requirements and occupational health objectives.
