Introduction/ framework/ objectives:

For many years, companies offered workers exposed to some chemical agents a daily dose of milk and considered the duty of occupational safety fulfilled. This occurred, however, at a time when the extraction/ventilation technology (and other measures of collective protection) and the use of personal protective equipment did not play a key role in prevention. In forums, the apparently therapeutic effects of milk are discussed countless times when discussing the consequences of working as a painter to avoid some occupational diseases. There are constant requests for an opinion on the distribution of milk to workers exposed to certain chemical agents in industrial activities. Even in fires, the same reasoning is often done. The purpose of this review was to acquire more knowledge about the subject, so that the Occupational Health team can act and issue opinions according to the current scientific evidence.

Methodology:

This is an Integrative Bibliographic Review, initiated through a survey conducted in February 2019 through CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE Complete, Nursing & Allied Health Collection: Comprehensive, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Methodology Register, Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts, MedicLatina, PUBMED and RCAAP; and also a broadening of the research to a free format on the subject.

Content/Results:

The history of the use of milk as a detoxifier was derived from the exposure to lead. There are some theoretical reviews of this problem in animal studies, all conflicting, and there are only human studies, of a rather robust nature. There is no published evidence regarding other agents. This belief is product of organizational behavioral habit and not based on scientific evidence. However, it is common that some employees maintain this belief, especially in the Automotive Paint industry.

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