The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (the investigatory workplace agency of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) tracked Bronchiolitis obliterans, a disease which destroys the lungs, to popcorn plants. According to an article in the Baltimore Sun, NIOSH decided that "... the butter flavorings, and most likely diacetyl, caused the disease. NIOSH documented that diacetyl gave off toxic vapors when it was heated and, in some of the plants, found the highest incidence of disease among workers in the quality-control areas, where the packaged corn, ready for market, was popped in microwaves and sampled."
NIOSH repeatedly informed OSHA. Many more cases have been documented since April 2006 when the The Baltimore Sun reported on more than a dozen cases of lung disease across the country.
The Sun reports that OSHA has taken no action to set exposure limits for the chemical and in July 2006, some unions and Congress members petitioned OSHA to take immediate action to identify the risk and take action to protect workers that are being exposed.
While OSHA has been very slow to act to protect workers, no government agency seems concerned with the health of consumers who use microwave popcorn or cook with other products containing diacetyl. The Sun says that this butter-flavoring agent can be found in margarine, faux butters, cooking oil, lard and, according to food scientists, in thousands of frozen products.
The Environmental Protection Agency has released a study to the flavoring manufacturers, but not to the public. In the meantime, consumer beware!
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