Doctor warns consumers of popcorn fumes
By MARCUS KABEL, Associated Press Writer
Wed Sep 5, 7:47 AM ET
Consumers, not just factory workers, may be in danger from fumes from buttery flavoring in microwave popcorn, according to a warning letter to federal regulators from a doctor at a leading lung research* hospital.
The Pop Secret is out! Knew there was a reason I liked Doritos.
A pulmonary specialist at Denver's National Jewish Medical and Research Center has written to federal agencies to say doctors there believe they have the first case of a consumer who developed lung disease from the fumes of microwaving popcorn several times a day for years.
Wait a minute - eating four bags of microwave popcorn a day might be bad for you? It might indicate other health and nutrition problems?
"We cannot be sure that this patient's exposure to butter flavored microwave popcorn from daily heavy preparation has caused his lung disease," cautioned Dr. Cecile Rose. "However, we have no other plausible explanation."
Like his two-pack per day Marlboro habit? Why would you say that, Dr. Rose of Newport Beach, SC, married to an R.J. Reynolds heir?
The July letter, made public Tuesday by a public health policy blog, refers to a potentially fatal disease commonly called popcorn lung that has been the subject of lawsuits by hundreds of workers at food factories exposed to chemicals used for flavoring.
Pop music to the snack cracker companies' ears...
In response to Rose's finding, the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association issued a statement Tuesday recommending that its members reduce "to the extent possible" the amount of diacetyl in butter flavorings they make. It noted that diacetyl is approved for use in flavors by the federal Food and Drug Administration.
The Flavor and Extract lobby is very powerful. That's why there's so many black jelly beans in a bag.
One national popcorn manufacturer, Weaver Popcorn Co. of Indianapolis, said last week it would replace the butter flavoring ingredient because of consumer concern. Congress has also been debating new safety measures for workers in food processing plants exposed to diacetyl.
In a totally unrelated incident, Jiffy Pop Stove Top Popcorn sales are threatening to blow the tinfoil roof off the industry...
The FDA said in an e-mail it is evaluating Rose's letter and "carefully considering the safety and regulatory issues it raises."
Bribes are being prepared now. If you were sick of ethanol kick-backs, just wait!
Fred Blosser, spokesman for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, said it is the first case the institute has seen of lung disease apparently linked to popcorn fumes outside the workplace.
Oh, but we knew about the ones inside all along. Didn't tell the employees. But we knew.
The occupational safety arm of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it is working on a response to the letter.
Because they keep smudging their reply with their greasy 'real butter' fingers...
By MARCUS KABEL, Associated Press Writer
Wed Sep 5, 7:47 AM ET
Consumers, not just factory workers, may be in danger from fumes from buttery flavoring in microwave popcorn, according to a warning letter to federal regulators from a doctor at a leading lung research* hospital.
The Pop Secret is out! Knew there was a reason I liked Doritos.
A pulmonary specialist at Denver's National Jewish Medical and Research Center has written to federal agencies to say doctors there believe they have the first case of a consumer who developed lung disease from the fumes of microwaving popcorn several times a day for years.
Wait a minute - eating four bags of microwave popcorn a day might be bad for you? It might indicate other health and nutrition problems?
"We cannot be sure that this patient's exposure to butter flavored microwave popcorn from daily heavy preparation has caused his lung disease," cautioned Dr. Cecile Rose. "However, we have no other plausible explanation."
Like his two-pack per day Marlboro habit? Why would you say that, Dr. Rose of Newport Beach, SC, married to an R.J. Reynolds heir?
The July letter, made public Tuesday by a public health policy blog, refers to a potentially fatal disease commonly called popcorn lung that has been the subject of lawsuits by hundreds of workers at food factories exposed to chemicals used for flavoring.
Pop music to the snack cracker companies' ears...
In response to Rose's finding, the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association issued a statement Tuesday recommending that its members reduce "to the extent possible" the amount of diacetyl in butter flavorings they make. It noted that diacetyl is approved for use in flavors by the federal Food and Drug Administration.
The Flavor and Extract lobby is very powerful. That's why there's so many black jelly beans in a bag.
One national popcorn manufacturer, Weaver Popcorn Co. of Indianapolis, said last week it would replace the butter flavoring ingredient because of consumer concern. Congress has also been debating new safety measures for workers in food processing plants exposed to diacetyl.
In a totally unrelated incident, Jiffy Pop Stove Top Popcorn sales are threatening to blow the tinfoil roof off the industry...
The FDA said in an e-mail it is evaluating Rose's letter and "carefully considering the safety and regulatory issues it raises."
Bribes are being prepared now. If you were sick of ethanol kick-backs, just wait!
Fred Blosser, spokesman for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, said it is the first case the institute has seen of lung disease apparently linked to popcorn fumes outside the workplace.
Oh, but we knew about the ones inside all along. Didn't tell the employees. But we knew.
The occupational safety arm of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it is working on a response to the letter.
Because they keep smudging their reply with their greasy 'real butter' fingers...
William Allstetter, spokesman for National Jewish Medical, confirmed the letter was sent by Rose, a specialist in occupational and environmental lung diseases and director of the hospital's Occupational and Environmental Medicine Clinic.
Forget letters that have anthrax fall out of them - the new threat is Mrs. Dash's Butter Substitute
"There have been no other cases that we know of other than the industrial occupational ones," Allstetter said.
Butter not be.
Rose acknowledged in the letter that it is difficult to confirm through one case that popping buttered microwave popcorn at home can cause lung disease.
Like perhaps it's the malignant Maytag Microwave????
However, she said she wanted to alert regulators of the potential public health implications.
You realize every business in America just banned Microwave Popcorn as a CYA that does nothing to address actual employee safety issues...
Rose said the ailing patient, a man whom she wouldn't identify, consumed "several bags of extra butter flavored microwave popcorn" every day for several years.
Bet it's her dad.
He described progressively worsening respiratory symptoms of coughing and shortness of breath. Tests found his ability to exhale was deteriorating, Rose said, although his condition seemed to stabilize after he quit using microwave popcorn.
Really? Quit how?Hazelden Pretzelden?
She said her staff measured airborne levels of diacetyl in the patient's home when he cooked the popcorn. The levels were "similar to those reported in the microwave oven exhaust area" at the quality assurance unit of the popcorn plant where the affected employees worked, she said.
Forget letters that have anthrax fall out of them - the new threat is Mrs. Dash's Butter Substitute
"There have been no other cases that we know of other than the industrial occupational ones," Allstetter said.
Butter not be.
Rose acknowledged in the letter that it is difficult to confirm through one case that popping buttered microwave popcorn at home can cause lung disease.
Like perhaps it's the malignant Maytag Microwave????
However, she said she wanted to alert regulators of the potential public health implications.
You realize every business in America just banned Microwave Popcorn as a CYA that does nothing to address actual employee safety issues...
Rose said the ailing patient, a man whom she wouldn't identify, consumed "several bags of extra butter flavored microwave popcorn" every day for several years.
Bet it's her dad.
He described progressively worsening respiratory symptoms of coughing and shortness of breath. Tests found his ability to exhale was deteriorating, Rose said, although his condition seemed to stabilize after he quit using microwave popcorn.
Really? Quit how?
She said her staff measured airborne levels of diacetyl in the patient's home when he cooked the popcorn. The levels were "similar to those reported in the microwave oven exhaust area" at the quality assurance unit of the popcorn plant where the affected employees worked, she said.
Did the extra exertion of the subject as he pounded on the little metal box screaming "Faster, dammit! Pop faster!" help things along any?
David Michaels, of the George Washington University School of Public Health, who first published Rose's letter on his blog, The Pump Handle, said the finding is another reason for federal regulators to crack down on diacetyl exposure by workers and consumers.
David Michaels, of the George Washington University School of Public Health, who first published Rose's letter on his blog, The Pump Handle, said the finding is another reason for federal regulators to crack down on diacetyl exposure by workers and consumers.
You go, Pop Culture Bloggers!!
"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," Michaels wrote on his public health policy blog.
Mrumg...wreally? Like these (crunch, crunch) Fakin' Bits I put on my salad every night?
*Funded by the Orville Redenbacher Old Fashioned Popcorn Institute
*Funded by the Orville Redenbacher Old Fashioned Popcorn Institute
2 comments:
Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association = FEMA.
Okay, I'm going to try this again: for starters: why was I surprised that you grabbed this subject and ran with it? I guess I have a lot of theories about things that happen in this world. This is one of them.... people need to realize that when food is genetically "modified", mutilated, pulvarized, freeze-dried and rebuilt, something's gotta give. Little do we realize that the nutritional value of our food, when handled in such a sacriligious way has got to disappear! Over and over again, today alone, the radio kept repeating that diabetes was becoming the Number #1 disease in this country. Studies have shown that diabetes is caused by not only too much sugar, but obesity, crazy eating habits and a steady diet of over-prepared foods. One of the customers of my company works hard at taking cheese and turning it into that crazy orange powder stuff that comes in the little foil packet in Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. The powder is so fine, that I often wondered if there were any hazzards in the manufacture of it.... I would venture a guess to the affirmative. Ah well, what is life, if all the polar bears are dead anyway? I have to go, my Orville Reddenbacher Ultra Theatre Pourable Butter is done... ~~Louise
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