Pop, Pop, Cough
Recently microwave popcorn has been getting lots of unwanted attention for containing diacetyl in the butter flavoring. Diacetyl has been brought to our attention before when factory workers in popcorn factories came down with the disease assumed to be caused by diacetyl called Bronchiolitis Obliterans, or “popcorn lung.” If you read into this article, from msnbc, you will see that until very recently, the disease has only affected factory workers. After years of settling lawsuits and trying to keep this rare disease quiet there is a confirmed case of a consumer getting popcorn lung. After hearing about this story I started wondering why everyone wasn’t running down the streets, throwing away all of their unwanted microwave popcorn! After researching the topic I realized that as long as you aren’t eating two or three bags of popcorn every day you will probably be okay. The man in this case said that for ten years he had been eating two or three bags each day, and he said that he always liked to open the bag up and smell it, which is where the diacetyl comes into affect. Diacetyl, which is shows up in cheese and fruits naturally, is used in the butter flavoring and is the suspected cause of popcorn lung. Many manufacturers are now making promises to replace this additive with something with less potential in causing any harm. Although some people are making a big deal about microwave popcorn, I really don’t believe that the average consumer is in any immediate danger whatsoever! As for me… well I do have a craving for some microwave popcorn.
Gilhaus said,
September 12, 2007 at 10:23 pm
While I agree that “the average consumer is [not] in any immediate danger whatsoever,” it does seems strange that companies would continue using ingredients that harm their employees, or that the FDA is merely “carefully considering the safety and regulatory issues it raises.”
Perhaps the bigger question here is how do regulatory agencies and corporations go about deciding how much of a given substance is safe. In some cases, it seems that they don’t realy worry about making that decision.
crysimme said,
October 19, 2007 at 12:30 pm
I found that this article was extremely interesting to read, and I agree with your insights on your blog based on the “popcorn lung”. I think that when this case of the popcorn lung was first reported, people began to freak out about it, and they didn’t even really know what it was, or how you really get it. Factory workers are the most vulnerable to get it, because they are the ones exposed to it on a regular basis. The other people that are at risk, are the people you suggested, that consume three bags of popcorn a day! I also agree that the average consumer has nothing to worry about while eating popcorn. However, I believe that people should not let their heads run away from them before they know all the facts about it. When some people found out about the popcorn lung, they stopped buying and eating popcorn and quit ordering it at the movies, becuase they were scared they would get it. They had no idea how you really get it, and who is more suseptable to get it.