Popcorn/Diacetyl: The Pump Handle
"After several microwave-popcorn workers were diagnosed with the severe lung disease bronchiolitis obliterans, researchers traced the problem to airborne diacetyl."
The CDC, FDA, OSHA, EPA – federal agencies charged with protecting public health – each received a letter in July alerting them to the possible serious respiratory hazard to consumers who breathe in fumes from their artificially butter-flavored microwave popcorn. The warning should have resulted in some action by these agencies, but instead, they’ve done virtually nothing.
This letter is a red flag, suggesting that exposure to food flavor chemicals is not just killing workers, but may also be causing disease in people exposed to food flavor chemicals in their kitchens.
