Occupational Health and Safety from the Americas

October 12, 2007

New legislation would protect popcorn workers

Workers exposed to the butter-flavoring chemical, diacetyl, may get a reprieve. Exposure to diacetyl has been linked to a severe, potentially lethal form of lung disease, bronchiolitis obliterans. Despite calls for action by unions, health-care provide...

September 27, 2007

US Authorities divided over popcorn lung regulations

A proposed bill that calls for emergency regulatory action to protect workers from diacetyl, a chemical linked to lung disease, has met with resistance from the Bush administration.The bill, submitted to the House of Representatives, would require the ...

September 26, 2007

Kraft Introduces New Butter Flavor Containing Diacetyl, The 'Popcorn Lung' Ingredient

Recently, after numerous complaints of serious illness from popcorn workers and one complaint of illness from a consumer, ConAgra and Pop Weaver removed diacetyl from its microwave popcorn and now proudly announce to their customers that their product ...

September 26, 2007

House approves regulating popcorn lung chemical diacetyl

Exposure to a microwave popcorn additive linked to a deadly lung disease would be swiftly regulated under a bill passed on Wednesday by the U.S. House of Representatives, defying a White House veto threat. The bill would order quick action by the Occu...

September 05, 2007

ConAgra will remove diacetyl - a flavoring linked to a lung ailment - from its Popcorn

The U.S.'s largest microwave popcorn maker, ConAgra Foods Inc. (CAG), said it will change the recipe for its Orville Redenbacher and Act II brands over the next year to remove diacetyl, a flavoring chemical linked to a lung ailment in popcorn plant wor...