Artificial butter flavoring risk - Shorts - Brief Article

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, Feb-March, 2002 by Jule Klotter

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has been investigating the incidence of lung disease among workers exposed to the artificial butter flavoring used in microwave popcorn. NIOSH reported that, since 1992, 8 workers at a popcorn plant in the small town of Jasper, Missouri, have developed a rare disease that permanently destroys lung tissue, called bronchiolitis obliterans. In addition, the incidence of bronchitis, and asthma among the plant's 130 employees is twice the national rate, and the incidence of obstructed breathing is over three times the national rate.

NIOSH believes that diacetyl, the chemical compound that provides the taste and smell of butter, may be causing the lung problems. Studies testing this hypothesis are in progress. In the meantime, the institute has asked health departments to work with the 130' popcorn plants located throughout the US to reduce worker exposure to the chemical. According to Jonathan Eig's Wall Street Journal article, NIOSH "believes it is safe for consumers to eat microwave popcorn and other artificially flavored products that have received Food and Drug Administration approval." However, Mr. Eig reports that many laboratory animals that ate large quantities of artificial-butter flavoring in NIOSH studies died of lung disease.

"Butter Flavoring May Pose a Risk to Food Workers" by Jonathan Eig. The Wall Street Journal, October 3, 2001.