Consumer Alert.
Washington – Irma Ortiz is among a group of California food-flavoring workers recently diagnosed with bronchiolitis obliterans, a rare and life-threatening form of fixed obstructive lung disease. Also known as popcorn workers lung, because it has turned up in workers at microwave-popcorn factories, the disease destroys the lungs. A transplant is the only cure.
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Even less is known about the health effects of eating diacetyl in butter-flavored popcorn, or breathing the fumes after the bag is microwaved. The Environmental Protection Agency has studied the fumes but is waiting for the industry to review the study before releasing it. The Food and Drug Administration has diacetyl on its list of substances “generally recognized as safe” but has not studied it.
Politicians and health workers in the United States are pushing for a bill to ban the use of the food flavoring. [Washingtonpost]
This is a very vague articule.If this illness has turned up at these factories before, is it being investigated? Should the public discontinue use of these products immediately? Is it chemicals from the processing plant or the consumer end that are dangerous?
does this mean we shouldnt eat popcorn as of now