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Consumer Risk for Bronchiolitis Obliterans: Microwave Popcorn

Pritzker | Ruohonen, a premier product liability law firm, is monitoring the study of the safety of microwave popcorn.  If you have eaten microwave popcorn and are experiencing shortness of breath on exertion, you may have bronchiolitis obliterans, an irreparable lung disease. When faced with the symptoms of bronchiolitis obliterans, some health care providers may initially suspected asthma, chronic bronchitis or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Studies at six microwave popcorn plants have shown that flavoring chemicals (including diacetyl) can cause bronchiolitis obliterans in the workplace (Kanwal 2006). In these studies, peak exposures were hazardous even when ventilation maintained low average exposures.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the investigatory workplace-safety arm of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tracked the disease to Midwest popcorn plants, finding that the butter flavorings, and most likely diacetyl, caused bronchiolitis obliterans. NIOSH documented that diacetyl gave off toxic vapors when it was heated and, in some of the plants, found the highest incidence of disease among workers in the quality-control areas, where the packaged corn, ready for market, was popped in microwaves and sampled.  The FDA is studying the effects of microwave popcorn on consumers.

Pritzker | Ruohonen & Associates, P.A., is a leading product liability law firm.  The firm has recovered millions for people injured by dangerous and defective products throughout the United States.  To reach a lawyer at Pritzker | Ruohonen, call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900, e-mail info@pritzkerlaw.com or fill out our online consultation form.

Source: Kanwal R, Kullman G, Piacitelli C, Boylstein R, Sahakian N, Martin S, Fedan K, Kreiss K, Evaluation of flavorings-related lung disease risk at six microwave popcorn plants, Journal of Occupational Environmental Medicine 48(2): 149-57, 2006.  


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