Lung Ailment Chemical Removed From Popcorn

(AP)  The nation's four biggest makers of microwave popcorn have removed a flavoring chemical that has been linked to a lung ailment in popcorn plant workers from nearly all their products.

The companies say all their microwave popcorn recipes should be changed by January.

But it might take several months for the reformulated popcorn to replace all the older varieties on store shelves.

In August, the Weaver Popcorn Company of Indianapolis announced it had removed the butter flavor diacetyl from all its microwave popcorn varieties.

ConAgra Foods Inc., of Omaha, General Mills Inc., of Golden Valley, Minn., and the American Pop Corn Co., of Sioux City, Iowa, all promised in September to change their microwave popcorn recipes. Those three companies sell Orville Redenbacher, Act II, Pop Secret and Jolly Time microwave popcorn.

"We want to assure our consumers they can continue to enjoy their favorite popcorn with complete confidence," said ConAgra's Stan Jacot, who oversees popcorn marketing for the company.

The chemical diacetyl has been linked to cases of bronchiolitis obliterans, a rare life-threatening disease often called popcorn lung.

Diacetyl occurs naturally in foods such as butter, cheese and fruits, and the FDA has approved its use as a flavor ingredient.

Federal agencies and lawmakers have taken note of the problems with diacetyl.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has stepped-up its inspections of microwave popcorn plants that use the flavoring and a program to minimize or eliminate the workers' exposure to chemical hazards.

Earlier this fall, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill that would limit worker exposure to diacetyl in plants that use the chemical. The Senate has not yet considered the bill.

Earlier this year, a pulmonary specialist at Denver's National Jewish Medical and Research Center wrote to federal agencies to say doctors at the center believe they have the first case of a consumer who developed lung disease from the fumes of microwaving popcorn several times a day for years.

But generally popcorn lung has been associated with people who worked in microwave popcorn plants mixing large vats of flavors. Hundreds of workers have said they have severe lung disease or other respiratory illnesses from inhaling diacetyl vapors.

More than 500 lawsuits are pending against the companies that that produce or use the butter flavoring. About $50 million has been awarded in verdicts that were later settled for confidential amounts. Another 100 cases have been settled that reportedly involve tens of millions of dollars.

The Washington, D.C.-based Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association has said consumers shouldn't worry about eating microwave popcorn as long as they follow directions, which typically include a warning to open bags of popcorn away from the face. The concern instead focuses on workers inhaling it in manufacturing settings - either in making the flavoring or adding it to food products ranging from popcorn to pound cakes.

The food companies have not pinpointed exactly when the new popcorn will be available at all stores because the timetable depends on how much popcorn a store sells and how much of the product stores keep in their own warehouses.

ConAgra spokeswoman Regina Demars said the company has already changed the recipe for its Orville Redenbacher and Act II popcorn, but she didn't know how long it would take for stores to sell all the popcorn with diacetyl.

ConAgra says the new popcorn started showing up in stores this month. Consumers will be able to spot the newer popcorn because ConAgra will print "No Added Diacetyl" on the box.

General Mills, which sells but doesn't make Pop Secret popcorn, removed diacetyl from its popcorn in October, spokesman Tom Forsythe said Monday.

A spokeswoman for American Pop Corn, which makes Jolly Time, said all but one of its products had been converted to new flavoring recipes. And spokeswoman Tracy Boever said that last popcorn product will be changed by Jan. 1.
By Josh Funk

[samsel3]

Diacetyl is not the only problem with microwave popcorn. A serious problem still exists with the Fluorotelomer grease resistant coating inside the bag. High temperatures during the microwave process break down the polymer releasing carbonyl flouride. This in turn breaks down to Hydrofluoric Acid when it comes in contact with moist surfaces. The effects are devastating.

[samsel3]

Comercial grade Diacetyl is synthetically produced as a byproduct of Valine production. The synthetic Diacetyl is very concentrated and full face respiration is required when handling the material. We do not normally inhale large quantities of Diacetyl. Deleterious effects from a wide array of chemicals happen when we flood the lungs airways and the body. The body cannot process such assaults. As a result damage occurs.

[samsel3]

In 2002 NIOSH published a study,animals were exposed to level''s of 203-371 ppm diacetyl vapors . Dr. Ann Hubbs, veterinary patholigist said; "the most dramatic case of cell death I''ve ever seen ". All of the animals showed signs of distress and those exposed to the higher range died within seven days. That''s the real deal!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[samsel3]

To Juwboy.........Never said "poison", What I did say is that Diacetyl has cumulative effects ,i.e. permanent tissue scaring like exposure to carbonyl fluoride gas, HF vapors etc.

[samsel3]

DiAcetyl is a chemical it is a Ketone also known as 2,3 Butadione, and Dimethyl DiKetone. In 2002 NIOSH published a study,animals were exposed to level''s of 203-371 ppm diacetyl vapors . Dr. Ann Hubbs, veterinary patholigist said;"the most dramatic case of cell death I''ve ever seen ". All of the animals showed signs of distress and those exposed to the higher range died within seven days. That''s the real deal!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[samsel3]

juwboy''s comment........ Diacetyl is a byproduct of the commercial organic chemical synthesis of Valine.. I guess they''ll have to find another use for the waste product now.

[talkingham]

juwboy must be some chemical industry apologist or paid to gloam forums on this subject. Certainly DiAcetyl may be found naturally in certain natural products like butter but it is not natural for the compound to be isolated in large vats and used as an additive in large quantities and outside the chemical matrix in which it normally exists.

Corn itself is a fairly questionable food for most anyone of non-native American descent. It''s virtually indigestible and most of it contains a range of pesticides that may be especially damaging to women. By the time you throw in all the corn syrups that Americans consume you certainly have an overload of corn based products and associated hormones in huge quantities. Throw in the artificially constituted DiAcetyl in unnaturally large doses and who knows what you''ve got. Just smelling that insanely foul smell of microwave popcorn makes me sick and now I know why - trust your nose. If something stinks you probably shouldn''t eat it.

[samsel3]

juwboy''s posting.......Juwboy you really need to read the studies before shooting your mouth off. The effects of exposure are cumulative. DiAcetyl is a chemical it is a Ketone also known as 2,3 Butadione, and Dimethyl DiKetone. In 2002 NIOSH published a study,animals were exposed to level''s of 203-371 ppm diacetyl vapors . Dr. Ann Hubbs, veterinary patholigist said;"the most dramatic case of cell death I''''ve ever seen ". All of the animals showed signs of distress and those exposed to the higher range died within seven days. That''s the real deal!!

[samsel3]

The decision to stop using Diacetyl is a sound one. The industry also needs to stop using Fluoropolymeric coatings on microwavable food containers. These materials degrade when heated forming very dangerous chmicals. Carbonyl fluoride,one of the degradation products is a gas. The chemical rapidly destroys lung tissue causing Bronchiolitus obliterans. The condition is permanent and eventually leads to death.

[samsel3]

juwboy''s posting.......DiAcetyl is a chemical it is a Ketone also known as 2,3 Butadione, and Dimethyl DiKetone. In 2002 NIOSH published a study,animals were exposed to level''s of 203-371 ppm diacetyl vapors . Dr. Ann Hubbs, veterinary patholigist said;"the most dramatic case of cell death I''ve ever seen ". All of the animals showed signs of distress and those exposed to the higher range died within seven days. That''s the real deal!!!!!!!!!!!!!