Here and there in the media over the last couple of weeks, there have been glimmerings of what could turn into yet another food scare. The problem? A chemical, diacetyl, found naturally in butter and other foods, has been found to cause a fatal and rapidly-progressing lung disorder when it is present in the air at high concentrations in occupational settings. The connection to popcorn is that diacetyl is used in products like microwave popcorn (and some movie theater popcorn machines) to provide butter flavor.
The diacetyl story is a prime example of what ACSH has pointed out for years (see our reports on carcinogens, activists, and natural chemicals in your holiday dinner menu): while high doses of a chemical may impair health, the typical doses that consumers encounter in their foods or through other environmental contacts pose no risk.
Another such example is acrylamide. Acrylamide is known to cause neurological problems at high doses in occupational settings. It is formed naturally when foods high in carbohydrates are cooked at high temperature -- by frying, for example. Now, various activist groups are suing food companies to make them put warning labels on foods that contain extremely low levels of acrylamide, although no one has ever demonstrated a health risk from its presence.
To be forewarned is to be forearmed: there's no reason to avoid butter-flavored popcorn or other foods because they contain traces of diacetyl. The chemical is only a problem when present in the air at very high levels.
Ruth Kava, Ph.D., R.D., is Director of Nutrition at the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH.org, HealthFactsAndFears.com).
