Starbucks has removed a blending powder used in its Blended Refreshers line after baristas reported coughing, hives and other symptoms they tied to the ingredient.
The company said it has no plans to bring the powder back, according to a statement cited by The New York Times.
Starbucks Workers United, which represents more than 12,000 baristas, had demanded the company address inhalation risks from the powder as part of ongoing contract negotiations. The union said its “collective action” prompted the removal, though a Starbucks spokesperson attributed it to a routine seasonal menu change and maintained the powder was safe when used as directed.
The slushy, fruity drinks, introduced July 14, required baristas to scoop the powder into blenders, a process workers said released fine, airborne dust.
Starbucks first defended the powder on July 27, saying it contained “a small amount of food grade silica,” an additive approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and was safe for use in food. Union organizers said the company’s statement failed to address workers’ concerns about inhalation risks, noting the powder’s packaging carried no warning labels and that the company had not provided additional safety training when the ingredient was introduced.
Dr. Peter Orris, an occupational medicine specialist at the University of Illinois who reviewed the ingredients for the union, found the powder’s amorphous silica and other components were generally safe to eat but could irritate the respiratory tract when inhaled, particularly for people with asthma.
He stated in a letter to the union that Starbucks “should have evaluated it with respect to its impact on human health prior to introducing it in a setting exposing both employees and customers to the aerosolized powder through both inhalation and skin deposition.”
The union, which is negotiating its first contract with Starbucks, said it will keep pushing for the powder’s permanent removal and for stronger workplace safety protections.
