Popcorn Lung Disease Associated With Diacetyl

Popcorn Lung, also known as Bronchiolitis obliterans, is a serious lung condition in which the smallest airways in the lungs (bronchioles) become scarred and inflamed. The most serious cases of popcorn lung result in partial or complete compression of the airway due to inflammation, effectively making it impossible to breathe. This manifests similar to a terrible and potentially life-threatening case of asthma.

A recent case involving "popcorn lung" occurred in Queens, New York where a woman has filed a lawsuit against ConAgra, the producer of Act II microwave popcorn. The woman, who claims to have eaten two or three bags of the company's popcorn daily for 16 years, is suing the company due to her development of "popcorn lung." In another case, a Washington man is suing the company due to asthma-like symptoms that he has developed after ingesting five to seven bags of microwave popcorn a day. According to his attorney, Richard Eymann, the man from Spokane, Wash. would sometimes "lap it out of the bowl like a dog would."

In the following statement released by ConAgra, the company dismissed the recent claims that have been made against the company: "Conagra has a long history of corporate responsibility and we pride ourselves on food safety and quality. We do not believe the lawsuit has merit."

Diacetyl occurs naturally in many foods, such as cheese, butter, and some wines.

While the risk for developing the chronic illness is small, the Food and Drug Administration has advised the makers of microwave popcorn to stop using the chemical, diacetyl. Though many companies have already heeded their advice, some are replacing the chemical with other substances that can be even more harmful than diacetyl. One such chemical that companies are experimenting with is pentanedione. According to research provided by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), if pentanedione is inhaled regularly it may have the ability to penetrate deeper into the lungs. This would cause even more damage to the lungs than diacetyl has been reported to cause.

The first case of "popcorn lung" was reported in 2000 when the NIOSH was asked to investigate several cases of health problems impacting workers at a Missouri popcorn manufacturing facility. Since the first case due to the illness was filed, popcorn companies have paid out more than $100 million dollars in settlements.