Microwave popcorn has always been a sort of 'miracle product' to me. Who doesn't love that in 2 minutes you go from a flat bag to piping hot 'movie theater' flavored goodness. The latest findings from the EPA suggest that the 'movie theater' flavor is a killer. The buttery flavor is due to the addition of a chemical called diacetyl and it appears to be responsible for some serious health problems in the workers who manufacture one of America's favorite treats. This has led to speculation that the consumer may be exposed to some environmenal hazards when the diacetyl heats up and fills the home with that delicious smell. Pop Weaver, a producer of such treats, has removed the chemical from their products altogether as a result of the EPA's findings. The sad news is most other brands still contain it.
Pop Weaver, one of the largest producers of microwave popcorn, is removing a controversial chemical flavoring agent from its products.
The chemical -- diacetyl -- adds buttery taste. Government worker safety investigators have linked exposure to the synthetic butter to the sometimes fatal destruction of the lungs of hundreds of workers in food production and flavoring factories.
And while Pop Weaver has dropped diacetyl from its product, it remains in widespread use in thousands of other consumer products, including the microwave popcorn brands Orville Redenbacher and Act II.
Choose wisely dear friends.
Read all about it at Seattlepi.com
