"Popcorn Lung" Patient Ate Two Bags A Day

Possible Link Between Chemical In Microwave Popcorn And Lung Ailment

(CBS/AP)  Wayne Watson loved microwave popcorn so much he would eat at least two bags each night, breathing in the steam from the just-opened package, until doctors told him it may have made him sick.

Watson, whose case of "popcorn lung" is the sole reported case of the disease in a non-factory worker, said he is convinced his heavy consumption of popcorn caused his health problems.

"You know, it's one of those things that you kind of shake your head and say, how can anybody eat that much popcorn? But it was about two bags a day every day for about ten years," Watson told Early Show co-anchor Julie Chen

Popcorn flavoring contains the chemical diacetyl, which has been linked to lung damage in factory workers testing hundreds of bags of microwave popcorn per day and inhaling its fumes. The chemical is a naturally occurring compound that gives butter its flavor and is also found in cheese and even wine, according to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.

It's been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a flavor ingredient, but hundreds of workers have sued flavoring makers in recent years for lung damage.

There are no warnings from federal regulators, nor is there medical advice on how consumers should treat news of the rare, life-threatening disease, bronchiolitis obliterans, also known as popcorn lung.

Watson, 53, told CBS he first noticed something was wrong about three or four years ago during church choir practice.

"My lung capacity just seemed to start diminishing and I couldn't sustain my notes like I used to be able to," he said.

That's when he sought out Dr. Cecile Rose, a lung specialist at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver.

Rose said she initially didn’t know what was causing Watson's breathing problems.

"He had a lung condition that we know is related to something he was inhaling," Rose said. "And I took a very complete history, including a work history and an environmental history and found nothing. And it wasn't really until the end of his initial medical evaluation where I turned to him and asked him … was he exposed to or was he around a lot of popcorn? And his jaw dropped and he asked me how I would possibly know that about him."

Rose said that no definite link can yet be made between Watson's popcorn consumption and his lung disease.

But, she said, "I think it's very important that the industry is taking this very seriously. They've known about the fact that workers who are using diacetyl can be at risk for lung disease. And if we're right in this case that consumers who are heavy users may be at risk as well, I think that the industry needs to be responsive to that possibility."

On Wednesday, the nation's largest microwave popcorn maker, ConAgra, said it would stop using diacetyl within a year out of concern for its workers - not because of risks to consumers. ConAgra makes Act II and Orville Redenbacher brands.

The Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association said that Rose's finding does not suggest a risk from eating microwave popcorn.

Watson, 53, said his breathing has improved since his doctor told him to quit eating his extra-buttery microwave popcorn and lose weight. He said he's dieting and lost some 35 pounds, regained lung capacity, and his prognosis is good.

[feeteez111]

Two bags of microwave popcorn is only 5 servings...most people regularly eat five servings of a particular food or drink everyday. For example, one 20oz. bottle of soda is either 2 or 2.5 servings...so if you drink two sodas in a day, you have consumed 4-5 servings. Have you ever eaten a large bowl of cereal? Check the servings size, you will see just how easy it is for somebody to chuff down 3-4 servings in one sitting. This guy may have been eating a lot of popcorn, but unless you have never done anything in excess in your life, you really have no room to talk. I'm quite sure that if it was a known fact that this could actually cause a serious lung disease, he would have taken caution not to eat so much or so often. This kind of thing could happen to anybody.

[feeteez111]

Two bags of microwave popcorn is only 5 servings...most people regularly eat five servings of a particular food or drink everyday. For example, one 20oz. bottle of soda is either 2 or 2.5 servings...so if you drink two sodas in a day, you have consumed 4-5 servings. Have you ever eaten a large bowl of cereal? Check the servings size, you will see just how easy it is for somebody to chuff down 3-4 servings in one sitting. This guy may have been eating a lot of popcorn, but unless you have never done anything in excess in your life, you really have no room to talk. I'm quite sure that if it was a known fact that this could actually cause a serious lung disease, he would have taken caution not to eat so much or so often. This kind of thing could happen to anybody.

[jetranger7]

Well there you have it, the FDA approved it, whats that tell Ya, Isn''t our Government, the FMCSA,and the DOT right now allowing Mexican Trucks to cross our Borders into the US too !! Its the Federal Government thats trying to bring an End to America as we know it, and bring an end to Americans Lives too !! This Government right now should all be kicked out of office, and just start over ! The Fraudulent Republicans who''ve lied so badd, should not even be allowed to ever run for public office again ever !! The Democrats who''ve been Sleeping at the wheel for quite some time, aren''t helping either, time for a whole new party to Run this Country and take us to new heights and a better place than what were witnessing now ! Enough is Enough !!!!!

[jt92202]

What isn''t bad for you? I started 5 years ago to only shop the perimiter of the grocery store. That is where the meats, vegis, milk, etc.. are found. But even then you get pesticides, hormones, preservitives and who know''s what else. You are responsible for buying and eating what you consume, nobody can take the blame for it but you.

If your going to eat popcorn, pop your own and use real butter on it, it is not only better for you but it tastes better too!!

[citizen007]

I find that those who are quick to ridicule are only in the first stages of accepting truth. There are three stages. The first is ridictule. The second is violent opposition. The third is acceptance.

You should know by now that today''s day in age is a very dangerous one. Powerful corporations have become inconsiderate of the public health of citizens. Don''t any of you know the history of ConAgra? They were so worried about keeping up with the best profit margin possible that they left their roof to leak in their peanut butter facilities; a roof riddled with bird feces. That leak proved to be the cause of a salmonella outbreak which reached thousands of homes and made hundreds sick.

Do you think it''s funny now? Do you think it''s funny that your children could have been eating Peter Pan peanut butter because a corporation didn''t care about the public health enough to make sure their facilities were running at top effeciency?

This isn''t the first time a corporation has put the public health at risk. In fact there are multiple thousands of infractions of health violations in the past couple of years by corporations alone. If any of you had any sense, you''d be outraged.

It doesn''t matter if this guy was so addicted to their popcorn that he ingested a health problem as well. You should be demanding healthy food and more importantly, you should KNOW YOUR FOOD.

If you don''t, you might as well eat poison and call it sugar.

[citizen007]

I find that those who are quick to ridicule are only in the first stages of accepting truth. There are three stages. The first is ridictule. The second is violent opposition. The third is acceptance.

You should know by now that today''s day in age is a very dangerous one. Powerful corporations have become inconsiderate of the public health of citizens. Don''t any of you know the history of ConAgra? They were so worried about keeping up with the best profit margin possible that they left their roof to leak in their peanut butter facilities; a roof riddled with bird feces. That leak proved to be the cause of a salmonella outbreak which reached thousands of homes and made hundreds sick.

Do you think it''s funny now? Do you think it''s funny that your children could have been eating Peter Pan peanut butter because a corporation didn''t care about the public health enough to make sure their facilities were running at top effeciency?

This isn''t the first time a corporation has put the public health at risk. In fact there are multiple thousands of infractions of health violations in the past couple of years by corporations alone. If any of you had any sense, you''d be outraged.

It doesn''t matter if this guy was so addicted to their popcorn that he ingested a health problem as well. You should be demanding healthy food and more importantly, you should KNOW YOUR FOOD.

If you don''t, you might as well eat poison and call it sugar.

[slapstick6]

Let me see, which is more likely: 1) that he got a disease, found out that if he claimed he ate humangous quantites of popcorn every day, making an effort to inhale fumes like a glue sniffer he could sue a popcorn maker, or 2) that he actually did engage in a behaviour that would have probably so clogged his arteries with fake butter and so raised his blood pressure with salt that he should have died by now anyway. Hmmm. I guess that the popcorn makers will now have to consider don''t sniff the popcorn labels. What trash.

[dragonmouse-2009]

Oh Plu-eeze. I''m not surprised that a case of this just coincidently "POPs" up right after it came out about the popcorn. He''s probably the first of many.

I think this dude has been inhaling a little more than the "buttery smell" of microwave popcorn.

[nothappyatall]

This is just one of thousands of CHEMICALS put in food, and this is the result of this chemical that we KNOW ABOUT, who knows what else happens health wise as a result of all the rest!

As a side note, hospital bills, I recently went to my local mid-west award winning clinic at the hospital that people from other counties around here flock to because it''s excellent- for an injured elbow, the doctor gave me a comprehensive exam and I was there probably 45 minutes, he also ordered xrays and they took about 6.
I have health insurance with a $2000 deductable so I didn''t use it at all for this, I used a check from my health saving accounts to pay the bill in cash.

Total BILL was $61 my jaw almost hit the floor as I figured Xrays were going to run like $25-$50 EACH or something.

[toldyouso21]

As to the quantity of popcorn this guy eats...his problem. Why should we care? If he is an "adult," that means that he accepts the responsibility of his actions. Period.
Posted by pondtoad at 12:12 AM : Sep 07, 2007


I agree with you to a point. Here is the point: When people get fat or cancer or engage in high risk behavior and end up in the hospital, even with insurance the amount that is actually paid is bargained down. The rest that the hospital does not pay is then passed on to other hospital goers and insurance companies. Drs do this by charging 7.00 for a tylenol tablet worth less than .03 cents and with an emergency room visit that costs 850.00 when only 35.00 in service is done. This means that "his problem" ultimately will be your and my problem in the form of higher insurance and hospital costs.

If you think what someone does to themselves is their business, (ie smoking ,drugs, high risk sexual behavior, preemie babies in teens) then think about how in the end, you help to foot the bill for their poor behavior. And you and I DO help to foot that bill, either to higher premiums, higher rx or OTC drug prices, higher taxes--in the end, companies do not swallow higher costs--the consumer swallows everything. So maybe you might want to care. Because even if you don''t--you''ll pay for it anyway.

[knowledgeispower]

This is the most sensible comment I have read. You are so right. Yes he is responsible for his own actions, nevertheless hardworking taxpayers always foot the bill....

[erasmus6]

The thing I don''t get is how they get away with using this c-r-a-p when they know what it does.

[pondtoad]

Let''s see now..."read the labels;" "don''t inhale chemicals;" "THINK."

Are we to extrapolate and conclude that the idiots that "huff" paints and hydrocarbons are not guilty of stupid, self-destructive behavior?

Don''t know about the rest, but I try to avoid products whose ingredients read like a chemistry set. Just seems a bit more healthy.

As to the quantity of popcorn this guy eats...his problem. Why should we care? If he is an "adult," that means that he accepts the responsibility of his actions. Period.

[samsel3]

Yes, sad to say but this is true. The disease known as Bronchiolitis Obliterans has affected thousands of people. One of the chemicals responsible is Diacetyl 2,3-Butadione a synthetic butter flavor agent used in hundreds of foods in the USA. The dangers of this chemical have been known since 1969. In 2002 a NIOSH study showed short term exposure to this chemical obliterates the lungs and recovery is not possible without a lung transplant. It also effects the liver, kidneys, adrenal & pituitary glands. Damage will occur not only from breathing the chemical, but also through eating foods containing it and skin absorption. This is serious and not a joke...

[justfacts2]

This article has to be one of the most blatant in terms of fraudulant lawsuits I have read. This "popcorn lung" refers to people who have worked in the factories around the chemicals. It does not pertain to lazy, obese people like this guy. I guess he needs money for his gastric bypass surgery and this is the only way he knows to get it. This kind of stuff just makes me irate.

[ozone-baby]

lol lol lol lol
This is the most rediculous thing I have ever heard. I can just picture this full grown man with his head in the bag inhaling the steam.
Are they sure his problems aren''t caused by the kernals he inadvertantly inhaled during this ludecris behavior.

I am not normally inclined to laugh at peoples illnesses and misfortunes but this guy is an idiot.

[obiwan234]

Ya know there is an idiot born every minute and this glutton just proves that he doesn''t swim in the deep end of the gene pool.

[xxmorosxx]

I gotta say, I really think that eating that much popcorn alone with the fake butter flavoring should have tipped him off that he wasn''t living a healthy lifestyle. I don''t really feel much sympathy for someone. It''s like someone eating fifteen hotdogs a day then complaining when they get lung disease or something.

Also, if he''s lost 35lbs and regained lung capacity maybe this isn''t solely the fault of the popcorn. Maybe he lost lung capacity because he had a lot of extra weight and simply didn''t have the capacity to expand his lungs because of the weight on his body