Jury Awards Butter-Flavor Worker $20M

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=9&u=/ap/20040316/ap_on_re_us/popcorn_lung_trial

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Jurors deliberated for a little more than three hours before returning the verdict Monday against International Flavors and Fragrances Inc. and its subsidiary Bush Boake Allen Inc. The flavoring manufacturers were ordered to pay $18 million to Peoples and $2 million to his wife, Cassandra.

Eric Peoples, 32, and the other former factory workers are suffering from damaged airways and breathing problems. They contend that the two manufacturers knew their butter flavoring was hazardous but failed to warn them of the dangers or provide adequate safety instructions.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health also has linked exposure to vapors from butter flavoring to lung disease in popcorn factory workers in Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska.

Health officials insist people who microwave popcorn and eat it are not in danger, although the Environmental Protection Agency (news - web sites) is studying the chemicals released into the air when a bag of microwave popcorn is popped.

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