Popcorn is Bad - Bad for Your Lungs!

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If you enjoy the buttery smell of freshly cooked microwave popcorn like millions of people do, you must read this.

Dr. Cecile Rose, pulmonary specialist at Denver’s National Jewish Medical and Research Center, in a letter, warned federal agencies or regulators that consumers are in danger of suffering the fatal popcorn lung disease from buttery flavoring fumes in microwave popcorn.

At least one heavy popcorn consumer has been diagnosed with the same disease affecting workers exposed to the substance, Bronchiolitis Obliterans.

Mr. Wayne Watson, a 53yr old furniture salesman from Deven Colorado was diagnosed with lung disease linked directly to his microwaved popcorn. Wayne on average consumed more than two bags of popcorn a day, for ten years. If you consume that much popcorn, you should seriously consider cutting back.

The lung specialists at National Jewish Medical and Research Center diagnosed Mr Watson and concluded that the chemical known as Diacetyl, used in popcorn flavoring, was the culprit. Diacetyl has been linked to lung damage in popcorn factory workers who inhale popcorn fumes containing this chemical due to the testing of hundreds of microwave popcorn bags every day, but mounting evidence shows that consumers may also be at risk.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health says that Diacetyl is a naturally occurring compound that gives butter its flavor and can also be found in cheese. Diacetyl is approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a flavor ingredient.

It is importnat to note that the EU Commission has declared that Diketones (for example acetylacetone, CH3COCH2COCH3) are like Dialcohols and Hydroxyketones in that they are in vitro and in vivo genotoxic chemical substances and therefore have been forbidden as nutrition additives since 2005.

As Diacetyl is a Diketone (in fact the simplest) it may eventually be subject to this EU regulation.

On September 4, 2007, Flavor and Extract Manufacturers recommended reduction of Diacetyl in popcorn butter and other butter flavorings. The Weaver Popcorn Company of Indianapolis promised to replace the butter flavoring ingredient. ConAgra did the same.

How to protect your health:

  • Tightly seal containers with unused or residual amounts of flavorings or their ingredients.
  • Maintain good general housekeeping in any areas where flavorings or their ingredients are handled.
  • Establish standard procedures for cleaning the workplace, tanks and other containers, and spills.
  • Do not use compressed air for cleaning powdered flavorings or ingredients, as this will increase concentrations of airborne particulate.
  • Clean up spills of flavorings or their ingredients promptly using procedures and appropriate protective equipment designed to limit exposure.
  • Do not inhale the hot popcorn fumes
  • Eat less microwaved popcorn.
  • Learn about foods before your eat them.
  • Eat less processed foods and more natural foods

Info Sources:

# JC Nielsen, M Richelieu. Control of Flavor Development in Wine during and after Malolactic Fermentation by Oenococcus oeni. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1999 February; 65(2): 740–745. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=91089

# B Martineau, T Henick-Kling, T Acree (1995). Reassessment of the Influence of Malolactic Fermentation on the Concentration of Diacetyl in Wines. Am Soc Enol Viticulture.

# Flavoring-Factory Illnesses Raise Inquiries, New York Times, May 6, 2007 http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/06/us/06butter.html?ex=1336104000&en=8d5a0800872c853f&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

# SB 456 Senate Bill - Bill Analysis http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0451-0500/sb_456_cfa_20070601_161435_sen_floor.html

# AB 514 Assembly Bill - Bill Analysis http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/asm/ab_0501-0550/ab_514_cfa_20070602_170841_asm_floor.html

# Yahoo.com, Doctor warns consumers of popcorn fumes http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070905/ap_on_he_me/popcorn_lung_consumer;_ylt=Apuf6TQn0o.P4GubPgYwzKGs0NUE

# David Michaels. Popcorn Lung Coming to Your Kitchen? The FDA Doesn’t Want to Knowhttp://thepumphandle.wordpress.com/2007/09/04/popcorn-lung-coming-to-your-kitchen-the-fda-doesnt-want-to-know/

# Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diacetyl

# Popcorn Lung Victim: ‘Friggin’ Unbelievable’ http://cbs4denver.com/seenon/local_story_249071155.html

# Reuters New Report: FDA to probe popcorn link in man’s lung disease.http://uk.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUKN0524254120070905

# Weaver Popcorn Company. Press Release: Pop Weaver introduces first microwave popcorn with flavoring
containing no diacetyl. http://www.popweaver.com/NoDiacetylPressRelease.pdf

# ConAgra to drop popcorn chemical linked to lung ailment
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2007-09-05-popcorn-lung_N.htm

# EU Commission and Diketones
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/oj/2005/l_128/l_12820050521en00730076.pdf

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