Thursday Sep. 5, 2007 (Foodconsumer.org) -- When news broke that popcorn butter flavor with high levels of diacetyl was suspected to be the cause of a severe lung disease in a Colorado man, I was not surprised. As a chemist, I know the risk. Diacetyl, a major odorous compound in the popcorn flavor, is chemically fairly reactive and it can readily react with proteins and or enzymes in humans, potentially damaging lung tissue and disrupting the normal physiology.
But what can we consumers do about it? We can eat less or stop eating popcorn or demand ConAgra, General Mills and other popcorn manufacturers to change their recipes for the flavor to reduce or eliminate the chemical. But that does not stop us from being exposed to diacetyl. The chemical is found not only in popcorn flavor, but also in natural dairy products and probably other foods, meaning you can't avoid it 100 percent.
The good news is that we do not have to avoid diacetyl or any other toxic chemical 100 percent. They are present in many foods anyway. What really matters is not that diacetyl is present in popcorn flavor, but consumers may be exposed to too much of it. As always, the dose determines the toxicity. The Colorado man obviously had been exposed to too much of diacetyl for too long. The man claimed he was Mr. Popcorn and he had eaten popcorn twice a day for more than ten years. That is the problem.
The popcorn manufacturers have been working to reduce or eliminate diacetyl in their popcorn flavor formulae. Experts are petitioning to the U.S. government to restrict use of this chemical in food flavors. Government officials are reviewing evidence and get ready to take action. Now what the consumers need to learn from the case?
The important thing consumers can learn from the case is that they should not solely rely on the food manufacturers to eat food safely. They should use their brain and do their best to decide what to eat and how much they should eat. They should never eat a food only to please their eyes, mouths, noses and ears. The popcorn problem can be solved, but the food safety will remain an issue.
To those who want to live a healthy life, I suggest they learn some basics about food safety and nutrition in addition to the joy of eating a food. As long as you know enough, you may feel free to eat popcorn, occasionally.
