Microwave Popcorn - Is It Safe?
An Associated Press article dated September 5, 2007 reported that recent warnings to popcorn factory workers about the dangers of lung disease from Diacetyl exposure, have now been extended to consumers. Symptoms of bronchiolitis obliterans, often referred to as "popcorn lung" include:
Fixed airway obstruction
Scarring of the lung
Inflammation of the lung
Dry cough
Shortness of breath
Diminished lung capacity
Bronchiolitis obliterans is thought to be caused by exposure to Diacetyl, a chemical used to create the buttery flavoring of microwave popcorn. This potentially fatal obstructive lung disease causes victims to slowly suffocate within their own bodies. The Washington Post has previously reported the continually rising number of cases linked to Diacetyl and bronchiolitis obliterans in microwave popcorn factory workers. There has been at least one death associated with popcorn workers lung to date.
The only treatment available for bronchiolitis obliterans is a lung transplant.
In Nov 2005, 54 former workers from the popcorn plant settled lawsuits out of court, while a few others went to trial and the verdict total was over $50 million dollars in compensation for the workers.
Recent news reports suggest that the irresistible aroma that comes out of those popped bags may be damaging to your lungs. A substance called Diacetyl that's used to provide the illusion of buttery goodness has been linked to lung disease in popcorn-plant workers, and now at least one doctor is suggesting that those of us eating bagfuls at home may be affected as well.
According to a CTV report, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been notified of one case of a consumer who ate "large quantities of the butter-flavored popcorn and developed a life-threatening lung disease sometimes called 'popcorn workers lung.'"
Dr. Cecile Rose, director of the occupational disease clinical programs at National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, said that she first saw the Colorado man in February after another doctor could not figure out what was causing his distress. Dr. Rose described the case in a recent letter to government agencies.
A furniture salesman, the man was becoming increasingly short of breath. He had never smoked and was overweight. His illness had been diagnosed as hypersensitivity pneumonitis, an inflammation of the lungs usually caused by chronic exposure to bacteria, mold or dust. Farmers and bird enthusiasts are frequent sufferers.
But nothing in the Colorado man's history suggested that he was breathing in excessive amounts of mold or bird droppings, Dr. Rose said. She has consulted to flavorings manufacturers for years about "popcorn workers' lung," and said that something about the man's tests appeared similar to those of the workers.
"I said to him, 'This is a very weird question, but bear with me. But are you around a lot of popcorn?' " Dr. Rose asked. "His jaw dropped and he said, 'How could you possibly know that about me? I am Mr. Popcorn. I love popcorn.' "
The man told Dr. Rose that he had eaten microwave popcorn at least twice a day for more than 10 years.
"When he broke open the bags, after the steam came out, he would often inhale the fragrance because he liked it so much," Dr. Rose said. "That's heated diacetyl, which we know from the workers' studies is the highest risk."
Dr. Rose measured levels of diacetyl in the man's home after he made popcorn and found levels of the chemical were similar to those in microwave popcorn plants. She asked the man to stop eating microwave popcorn.
"He was really upset that he couldn't have it anymore," Dr. Rose said. "But he complied."
Six months later, the man has lost 50 pounds and his lung function has not only stopped deteriorating but has actually improved slightly, Dr. Rose said.
"This is not a definitive causal link, but it raises a lot of questions and supports the recommendation that more work needs to be done," Dr. Rose said.
Investigations are still being conducted to understand the potential harms of microwave popcorn consumption, research results have yet to be released...
Lung specialists and even a top industry official say the case, the first of its kind, raises serious concerns about the safety of microwave butter-flavored popcorn.
This doesn't necessarily mean you should strike all microwave popcorn from your shelves, or vow never to indulge again. But if you have children with lungs weakened by asthma or other conditions, it might want to consider what's coming out when you break open the bag.
In response to the letter written concerning the consumer who has developed lung disease is allegedly due to exposure to Diacetyl, the FDA indicated that it is "carefully considering the safety and regulatory issues it raises". The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) currently does not regulate the use of Diacetyl in the food industry, but it conducting its own investigations as more people continue to come forward with similar claims. Additionally, the EPA is doing research regarding the safety of Diacetyl fumes.
"We've all been working on the workplace safety side of this, but the potential for consumer exposure is very concerning," said John B. Hallagan, general counsel for the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States, a trade association of companies that make butter flavorings for popcorn producers. "Are there other cases out there? There could be."
A spokeswoman for the Food and Drug Administration said that the agency was considering the case as part of a review of the safety of diacetyl, which adds the buttery taste to many microwave popcorn.
Producers of microwave popcorn said their products were safe.
Meanwhile, four of the leading makers and sellers of microwave popcorn have acted. Con Agra, General Mills, American Pop Corn Company, and Pop Weaver have said they will stop using diacetyl in their products, according to news reports. Their brands include Orville Redenbacher, Act II, Pop Secret, Jolly Time and Pop Weaver.
Pop Weaver, has taken diacetyl out of its popcorn bags "because of consumer concerns" but not because the company believes the chemical is unsafe for consumers, said Cathy Yingling, a company spokeswoman.
Exposure to synthetic butter in food production and flavoring plants has been linked to hundreds of cases of workers whose lungs have been damaged or destroyed. Diacetyl is found naturally in milk, cheese, butter and other products.
Heated diacetyl becomes a vapor and, when inhaled over a long period of time, seems to lead the small airways in the lungs to become swollen and scarred. Sufferers can breathe in deeply, but they have difficulty exhaling. The severe form of the disease is called bronchiolitis obliterans or "popcorn workers' lung," which can be fatal.
The popcorn bags are made out of paper that has to be coated with a substance to repel grease and moisture so the bag doesn't become soggy and rip while it's getting heated in the microwave. The chemicals used to coat the paper break down, when heated, in to a substance called perfluorooctanoic (PFOA).
The Environmental Protection Agency has identified PFOA as a "likely carcinogen."
How much PFOA gets into the popcorn is still unknown. The FDA researchers did a study this past October about this question. They determined that it's a relatively small amount of PFOA that actually gets into the popcorn.
So the good news may be that you'd probably have to eat a lot of popcorn before you get enough PFOA into your body that it will cause cancer, but it's basically impossible for the FDA to tell how much PFOA would actually cause cancer.
Not only is the bag coating a carcinogen, but also the fake butter flavoring. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health determined that a disease that destroys lung tissue was triggered by exposure to the artificial butter flavoring. This study was done after 24 workers in a Missouri microwave popcorn plant got this disease that was destroying their lungs. And it wasn't just 24 workers affected. There were 130 other employees who had high rates of bronchitis and asthma from this butter flavoring.
What's in the fake butter? Diacetyl. It gives artificial butter its flavor and smell. This is an FDA-approved chemical that is also found in many wines, cookies, candies, beers, and cheese-flavored products.
How can the FDA approve something known to kill your lungs?
So before you make your next bag of microwave popcorn, thing of what it's doing to your health.
If you still want microwave popcorn, make your own. Use popcorn kernels bought in your grocery store. Place a serving of kernels into a brown paper bag, smear some butter on the inside of the bag facing upward, fluff out the bag and fold it over three time, then place it in the microwave on high for 4 minutes.
Or you could go back to the good old fashion method of popping kernels on the stove with a pot and oil.
You should stay away from things that "smell just like butter", "taste just like butter" but are not. Don't forget all those other products using artificial flavors. Artificial flavors are used mostly to cut expense for the manufacturer and still maintain a flavor. The real thing isn't used because it's too expensive… Isn't your health worth the expense of what is real, good and safe?