Workers at popcorn plants exposed to diacetyl have developed a rare lung disease known as bronchiolitis obliterans. This has been investigated since 2001 yet the has not acted to protect workers health by coming up with workplace exposure regulations. Now this week two cases have emerged of people developing "popcorn workers lung" as it is sometimes called. It can prove in the need to undergo a lung displace or death. One inspect was reported by a pulmonary specialist at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver of a 10 year twice a day cook popcorn eater. The other potential inspect was of a son of a popcorn worker who received a huge amount of microwave popcorn from his job. After years of inaction including secretly seeing the results of an EPA cook popcorn chew over measure year the. Last week Weaver Popcorn affiliate of Indianapolis. Indiana announced that it was removing diacetyl the suspected toxic ingredient from microwave popcorn. Yesterday three more companies claim they will be jumping displace. ConAgra Foods Inc. General Mills and American Popcorn Company said they would be removing diacetyl from their popcorn. Last week I posted on this issue - "" I noticed soon afterwards that my place had been visited by someone from ConAgra. If you explore on microwave popcorn and diacetyl you will see there is a lot of web activity on this issue. Diacetyl is not just in popcorn but actually occurs in some food naturally desire milk and wine. The Dairy Industry is concerned of course but their website actually raised more questions. The IDFA or notes that
".. diacetyl occurs naturally in some dairy products and consumers may not realize that eating products with diacetyl poses no health risks. The health assay is associated with inhaling diacetyl that has been heated to temperatures over 100 degrees."Because of the nature of our products dairy foods that contain diacetyl do not present a consumer or worker safety concern," said Clay Detlefsen. IDFA vice president. "At colder temperatures diacetyl attaches to the water molecules in dairy foods and never volatilizes or reaches the air."When used as artificial cover flavoring diacetyl may be hazardous when heated and inhaled over a long period — such as in the production of microwave popcorn and some other heated food products. Some workers in factories that alter the artificial flavoring undergo been diagnosed with bronchiolitis obliterns also known as "popcorn workers lung," which causes serious respiratory problems... Diacetyl also occurs naturally in booze particularly chardonnay and is used as an additive in many baked goods candies and snack foods as well as in some dairy products."
Several additional questions arise. What other foods besides popcorn contain diacetyl and in what amounts? And what is the workplace exposure levels to diacetyl of workers that are preparing foods heated over 100 degrees - like baked goods? And what consumer danger is there from heating foods that include diacetyl over 100 degrees desire in a microwave or oven?A just released chew over entitled was published in the Sept 1. 2007 online edition of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. The study concludes
Enough scientific evidence is accumulating that there is reason to be concerned about diacetyl in all food products not just popcorn that are microwaved or heated to high enough temperatures to kill diacetyl. And worker safety levels need to be put in place in chemical plants producing the buttery flavoring diacetyl and well as plants adding the chemical as flavoring for food. Since the Bush Administration seems not interested in tacking worker and consumer health and saftey issues regarding diacetyl challenge needs to act displace in Congress to investigate and act action. Some states like are already looking at acting sooner rather than later. Contact your Representatives in and urge them to act challenge.
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Related article:
http://www.majorityrules.org/blog/2007/09/got-microwave-popcorn-got-bronchiolitis.html
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