Popcorn supplier to drop toxic chemical

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

ConAgra, the world's largest supplier of the 3 billion bags of microwave popcorn sold each year, said Tuesday that it will eliminate the use of a controversial chemical butter flavoring linked to severe lung disease in workers from its Act II and Orville Redenbacher products.

The announcement comes a week after Pop Weaver, the nation's second-largest popcorn producer, said it already had pulled the synthetic flavoring -- diacetyl -- from its microwave product delivered to stores last month.

Meanwhile, a lung specialist from Denver's National Jewish Medical and Research Center has notified federal agencies that she may have identified the first known case of a man who ate popcorn at home and had the same disease as the workers.

Lung specialist Dr. Cecile Rose wrote to the Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration in July, advising them of her patient and the possibility that people who pop microwave corn at home can be at risk.


Read more: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/food/330230_popcorn05.html

[Spinzonner]

1. Flavor Killers

:sarcasm:

[Occulus]

12. Killer flavor. n/t

[TlalocW]

2. I still air-pop

And melt butter/margarine to put on it. I think it tastes better, and I can then put garlic salt on it. Mmmm-mmm.

TlalocW

[StarryNite]

3. I do that too!

Yummy!

[TlalocW]

15. Every now and then I oil pop when I want to make kettle corn.

Since you have to pop it in a pot with sugar. I wonder if Splenda could be used as a substitute since you would be using oil as well... I wonder this because I tried to caramelize Splenda one time like you do sugar - just by heating it up in a skillet. I had to throw that pot away because I couldn't get the burnt Splenda off it and had to open up a bunch of windows to get the smell out. :)

TlalocW

[baby_bear]

13. Try olive oil

It's a nice and healthy alternative to butter. Tastes great, too.

Do yourself a favor and ditch the margarine. It's nasty (tasting and health-wise).

b_b

[Mabus]

16. I'm still using my old "Stir Crazy" popper

It must be at least 15 years old, if not older, and it still makes great popcorn.

[OKIsItJustMe]

19. I use oil

I like to pop it on the stove with grape seed oil, and then instead of butter, I use olive oil.

Shake on some garli-garni... it's a taste sensation!

I think I'll make some tonight!

[baby_bear]

4. What a great investigative reporter Andrew Schneider is

It was his initial report last month that led to ConAgra stopping the use of diacetyl in popcorn. No thanks to OSHA, CPSC or EPA, that's for sure. See this first article at http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/food/329640_popcorn30.html.

It's been widely known among toxicologists for years that this stuff is deadly.

b_b

[leftchick]

9. indeed, not a federal agency to be found...

<snip>

The reaction from the health agencies she contacted has been minimal.

"I am surprised that none of the regulatory agencies has called me to learn more about the case," said the pulmonologist, but Rose added that she has received "numerous calls from industry representatives who were very interested in hearing more details than were presented in my letter."

<snip>

Dr. David Egilman, an occupation medicine specialist, has examined and testified for many of the workers injured by diacetyl.

"People need to realize that these illness and deaths were completely preventable," Egilman said. "They occurred because the companies who make these products hid the information on toxicity and control the regulatory process. ... An emasculated government public health community that is subservient to corporate profits cannot protect us -- even from popcorn."

[StarryNite]

5. I know who would take their surplus diacetyl...

China

[Tunkamerica]

6. I've heard it's a great lead substitute.

[Hekate]

7. 4th Rec here. This is important news. But where was OSHA when workers died?

I haven't been able to use nuke popcorn since that news came out.

Hekate

[truthisfreedom]

8. But what will they do with all of the spare diacetyl?

Oh, China, that's right.

[CoffeeCat]

11. Mattel will probably use it...

...to make a new Magic Microwave Popcorn Barbie!

[kestrel91316]

10. Workers die >>>>>>> nobody does a damned thing.

Single consumer dies >>>>>> diacetyl immediately removed.

Happy Labor Day (belated).

[Summer93]

14. Kick and Recommend

I am glad to see this news coming out. I hope the corporations that abused it will have to deal with the consequences.

[robinlynne]

17. Well isn't that nice of them?

[sarcasmo]

18. Makes you wonder how much TOXIC crap we eat?

[View from Here]

20. I was always highly suspicious

of any kind of packaged popcorn--so much better to cook it oneself.

[sarcasmo]

21. Welcome to D/U.