BUTTER FLAVOURING = "POPCORN LUNG" ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Not according to NIOSH, CDC and OSHA in the U.S. (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Center for Disease Control, Occupational Safety and Health Assoc.)
"Inhalation of butter flavouring chemical mixtures, including diacetyl, has been associated with severe obstructive lung disease popularily known as "popcorn lung". In many symtomatic individuals exposed to flavouring who have undergone lung biopsy, an irreversible type of lung damage called constrictive bronchiolitis has been found."

To date there appears to be no absolute proof of damage to consumers although sensible precautions are advised such as good ventilation when engaged in cooking or popping of products containing diacetyl and other butter flavouring chemicals.

What specific reason could I have for advising Woolwich Township residents of this peculiar health hazard? First of all , those with a Mennonite background such as my wife and in-law's family, are serious consumers of popcorn products. Secondly and here it gets very weird; all of us here in Elmira have heard of the many toxic chemicals dispersed into our environment from Uniroyal (Chemtura). The more well known include NDMA, Dioxins, Agent Orange, DDT, Chlorobenzene and a slew of others. Well you guessed it, up until a couple of years ago, Uniroyal manufactured Diacetyl for the artificial butter flavouring of popcorn. For years the odour could be readily identified by local residents and the irony is that we all thought at the time , oh thank goodness it's only butter flavouring. I have no personal knowledge of the manufacturing processes involved nor of the ventilation around tubs and tanks of diacetyl. I would suggest that long term employees who were involved with diacetyl and who have breathing problems should get reexamined by their doctors.

Finally I received a letter in the mail yesterday from Chemtura U.S. advising me that Chemtura Canada is seeking legal protection from potential lawsuits regarding diacetyl production in Canada. A phone call to Chemtura (Elmira) advised me that the Canadian operations are secure and that their Chapter 11 (Bankruptcy Act) protection is simply to ensure that their legal rights are maintained. The irony of butter flavouring causing these headaches and health issues versus all the other potential toxins, can hardly be lost on anyone.