Low-Cal Diet Snack May Be Deadly
It tastes good. It’s filling. It’s only 80 calories for 2 cups.
It’s a favorite snack for millions of Americans, especially those of us trying to lose weight.
But this low-cal diet snack may also be deadly.
The problem is something called popcorn lung, a potentially fatal health condition that may occur from inhaling the scent of butter-flavored microwave popcorn.
Until now, only workers in the food industry were believed to be affected. Hundreds of workers at food factories have already filed lawsuits because they were exposed to chemicals used to flavor popcorn.
Their lungs have been damaged or destroyed.
Recently, a doctor believed that his patient, a relatively healthy 53-year-old American, had contracted popcorn lung.
His symptoms were progressively worsening shortness of breath and coughing. His ability to exhale was also deteriorating.
But this man didn’t work in the food industry.
Instead, he ate at least 2 bags of extra butter-flavored microwave popcorn every day for several years.
The chemical culprit is diacetyl in the butter flavorings made for popcorn. Heated diacetyl, the same as what you would inhale when butter-flavored popcorn is microwaved, is supposedly the worst.
When this man cooked popcorn, the airborne levels of diacetyl in his home were similar to those in the microwave oven exhaust area at a popcorn factory.
The man’s doctors can’t be sure that popcorn caused his respiratory disease. But his condition appeared to stabilize after he stopped eating microwave popcorn.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is evaluating a warning letter from the man’s doctor. They’re considering the possible safety and regulatory issues involved.
The Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association is also recommending that its members minimize the amount of diacetyl in the butter flavorings they make.
Until the FDA can determine what happened, you may want to avoid butter-flavored microwave popcorn and substitute other low-cal diet snacks instead.
Technorati Tags: popcorn, popcorn lung, diacetyl, respiratory disease, diet, dieting, lose weight, weight loss
September 6th, 2007 at 8:33 am
I can’t believe that we’ve managed to make popcorn deadly. And they told us butter would kill us. Why can’t we just have regular old butter? Everytime they come up with some new formula for something that already exists, it turns out to be worse than the original.
September 6th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Man, I’m bummed about this. Popcorn was the low-cal snack of choice for me.
September 6th, 2007 at 2:03 pm
This is frightening. Even though I never eat popcorn myself, the women in my office make popcorn in the office microwave all the time. Are the rest of us exposed because of the smell in the air?
September 6th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
I agree with Kathy. Just put regular butter on your popcorn or eat it plain. Why risk your life just to save a couple calories?
September 6th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
A lot of people in my office make microwave popcorn, too. I hate the smell of it, especially when they burn it. If this makes my coworkers eat less popcorn, I’ll be the happiest person in the office.
September 6th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
Rita,
I don’t know the answer to your question. You might be. The doctors talked about the airborne levels of diacetyl in this man’s home which suggests that other people would be exposed as well.
You could talk to your doctor about it or avoid butter-flavored microwave popcorn until the FDA decides whether it’s safe.
There’s also another way to make popcorn–do it without a microwave, the old-fashioned way.
Here’s a great recipe from the Simply Recipes website that you might like.
It’s called “Perfect Popcorn.”
Click here for the Perfect Popcorn recipe.
September 6th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
there are too many chemicals in food. Organic is better.
September 6th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
The people who are getting lung disease from popcorn all seem to be exposed to really high levels of the chemical in butter. It may not be a concern to those of us who only eat popcorn occasionally. I mean this guy was eating bags of this popcorn every day for years. If you eat that much of anything, you could get sick.
September 6th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
When I was young, my family always made Jiffy-Pop popcorn on a stove. No one ever got lung disease from it. I don’t think it’s worth the chance, even if you eat it occasionally, Denise. The makers of the butter flavor need to fix this so it’s not a health hazard.
September 6th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
Popcorn lung? What next?