Diacetyl: Learn This Word
Who Knew The Butter in Microwave Popcorn Would Be More Than Fattening
We’ve all eaten microwaved popcorn from time to time. Some opt for butter and others for kettle. The saying goes: Too much of anything is no good for you. Too much microwave buttered popcorn may have led a 53-year-old Colorado man to develop a serious lung condition. The man had eaten microwave popcorn at least twice a day for more than 10 years. Doctors 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. Six months later, the man has lost 50 pounds and his lung function has not only stopped deteriorating but has actually improved slightly. 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 popcorns, including Orville Redenbacher and Act II.Pop Weaver, another large microwave popcorn producer, has already taken diacetyl out of its popcorn bags “because of consumer concerns” but not because the company believes the chemical is unsafe for consumers. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has been criticized as doing little to protect workers in popcorn plants despite years of studying the issue. 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. On a lighter note, ConAgra Foods (America’s largest microwave popcorn maker) has said today it will change the recipe for its Orville Redenbacher and Act II brands over the next year to remove diacetyl.
