Popcorn Lung

Because I have limited access to the internet at work, and I was lazy in posting last night, Alex beat me to it… but hell, I\’ll publish anyway.


As the saying goes, this is the type of thing that gets my goat. What type of thing you ask? This type of thing.

Some of you may have heard about factory workers at microwave popcorn plants coming down with something called \”popcorn lung\”. Recently doctors in Denver have discovered a man who apparently got popcorn lung as a consumer of microwave popcorn (extra butter!). We can ban transfat in restaurants in New York, but a proven cancer agent (in the manufacturing arena) has now appeared to have caused cancer in a consumer.

I\’ll let blogs like this debate on the politics behind this issue. To me this is another sign of our society and industry very willing to consume and use chemicals in our food in the interests of time and money.

Some good news (after the fact) is that ConAgra will begin to phase out the offending chemical. Although they say it is only for the safety of the workers, two questions come to mind. Why did it take the possibility of a consumer getting sick before they made this change. And why make the change now after the risk has been known for years?

In the meantime, lay off the artificial butter microwave popcorn and consider *gasp* using \”real\” butter as a topping. A tablespoon of butter has only 100 calories and is more than enough to flavor a bag of popcorn.


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6 responses to “Popcorn Lung”

  1. blondebombchelle Avatar

    I had several people at work today find me because I am a huge consumer of single serving bags of microwave popcorn. I just filled a drawer at work. Like most cancer causing agents, it takes a person who eats ALOT of this stuff to get sick. My 3 single serving bags a week probably won’t kill me any faster then my 1 to 2 diet cokes a day.

  2. alex Avatar

    You lazy bum. You could have added to my post via a comment. Not to mention the fact that I had this up early in the AM yesterday. Don’t you even read our site anymore? 😛

  3. blondebombchelle Avatar

    Don’t feel bad, he doesn’t read my site either. Maybe I should start publishing with you guys….

  4. alex Avatar

    It’s not a difficult proposition to open up a few posting accounts to favored guests. I just figured you enjoyed having your own blogspace…

  5. wadE Avatar

    have I not mentioned that the fascists at work have blocked SP? *gah*

  6. anderswa Avatar

    on this topic, i would highly recommend reading Fast Food Nation if you haven’t already. all sorts of interesting (and scary) factoids about the chemicals put in food under the guise of “natural flavors.” i’ve got a copy if anyone would like me to borrow it to them. 😉

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