Toronto Star: Microwave popcorn bags popping out dangerous chemicals

[marmar]

Corn is not the only thing popping in that bag twirling around the microwave.

University of Toronto scientists have found that many paper food packages, like microwave popcorn bags, are popping dangerous chemicals into the products they contain.

And significant levels of those chemicals and the products they break down into are now in human blood, the study’s co-author says.

“We found these food contact paper chemicals in human blood in high concentrations,” says Scott Mabury, an environmental chemist at the U of T.

Indeed, he says that a large portion of the so-called Perfluorinated carboxylic acids — or PFCAs that have been worrying doctors and global regulatory agencies for a decade likely come from paper junk food wrappers. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.healthzone.ca/health/news%20%20features/article/888528--microwave-popcorn-bags-popping-out-dangerous-chemicals

[LisaM]

1. No surprise.

You can actually pop regular pop corn in the microwave.

[gateley]

5. Yeah - saw a guy on TV not too long ago who was talking about it, and he showed

how you can pop corn in a regular brown paper bag. i tried it - it was good!

[GoCubsGo]

21. Save a tree and get a microwave corn popper.

Under ten bucks at Target. No oil needed, although you can use oil, if you wish. Dishwasher safe. The popcorn doesn't taste like styrofoam, like air popped corn does.

[gateley]

25. Even better! Although I hate to use the microwave! I usually make popcorn

on the stovetop in a pan with oil - the old fashioned way, but every once in a while this would just be perfect! Thanks!!

[GoCubsGo]

28. I only make it in the popper to avoid using oil.

I have enough fat of my own. ;-)


But, every once in a while...

[Liberal_in_LA]

10. I still have an air popper. Works just fine

[underpants]

2. Microwave popcorn is really dangerous for the people who make it

In addition to the problem above, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is studying a different problem associated with the butter flavoring in microwave popcorn. NDTV.com had this to report: "Exposure to vapors from butter flavoring in microwave popcorn has been linked to a rare lung disease contracted by factory workers in Missouri, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska." The companies who manufacture the harmful Teflon chemical stated they will eliminate the chemical by the year 2015.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/35893/microwave_popcorn_health_scare.html?cat=25

[eppur_se_muova]

22. Here's the chemical in question: 'Diacetyl', aka butanedione

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diacetyl#Safety

[Kookaburra]

3. My Hello Kitty popcorn popper makes a lovely

batch of popcorn, and I know exactly what is in it. Corn, oil, salt. Done.

[LisaM]

4. Make your own microwave popcorn. Cheaper, safer, probably tastier

http://www.foodgeeks.com/recipes/18876

[DCKit]

6. If the number of people I've know who eat or share a bag nearly every day is any indication...

There are tens of millions of people exposed every day to this crap.

[Blue_Tires]

7. wow...i've been eating it by the case over the years...

thanks for the link...

[iris27]

8. That's why I love my

[zeemike]

9. I don't even have a microwave myself.

I find it much easer just to put some oil and butter in a pot with a lid and pop the corn right on the stove top...takes just a few minuets and is much cheaper that the packaged stuff.
And no phony flavors that I don't know what they are.

[kath]

13. Yep - that's the best way to do it. SOOOOOO good - about a brazillion times better than the crap

they sell in movie theaters, and tastier and safer than the microwave crap with all its nasty chemicals.

Very inexpensive, and a good source of fiber!

[meow mix]

17. i know huh, whats wrong with pots lol. now theres got to be a "cooker" for every differnt food

I like metal pots on the stove!! its like everytime my dad wants to make rice he freaks out over trying to get the "rice cooker" set up im like wtf is wrong with a pot?

people are so lazy its just wierd..

[mikeytherat]

18. Hear, hear!

I've got grandma's old cast iron pot for the stove-top popcorn, and an ancient casserole dish that cooks rice just fine, thank you very much!

mikey_the_rat

[zeemike]

19. And rice is even easer than popcorn.

I cook brown rice...just add the rice to a pot with a good lid and twice as much water put it on a low heat and walk away for an hour...comes out right every time.

[Starry Messenger]

11. Noooooo!

I didn't want to know this. :cry:

[Luminous Animal]

15. So. Will you stop eating microwave popcorn?

[Starry Messenger]

23. Oh yes.

I don't eat much of it anyway, but every so often I'll get a box. I don't know why, but I developed a taste for it in college. I can easily cut it out.

[Luminous Animal]

32. That's cool.

:)

[cbdo2007]

12. Um...yeah, that's why they shut down a big plant here in Missouri a few years ago.

Here is an article from 2006:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/6/prweb397358.htm

Carcinogenic Chemicals Cause Concern for Popcorn Lovers
Recent studies have shown that the microwave popcorn you’re family regularly eats can be harmful to your health. FDA and EPA studies are being conducted, but what is being done to ensure your family is safe? The studies show that the chemicals used to in all popcorn bags, Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) also known as C8 (a Teflon Chemical), can cause cancer in animals but more research needs to be done to find out what the affects are in humans.
Email PDF Print .New York, NY (PRWEB) June 14, 2006

Recent studies have shown that the microwave popcorn you’re family regularly eats can be harmful to your health. The FDA and the EPA are conducting studies, but what is being done to ensure your family is safe?

The studies show that the chemicals used in all popcorn bags, known as Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) also known as C8 (a Teflon Chemical), can cause cancer in animals but more research needs to be done to find out what the affects of these chemicals are in humans.

According to Daily News Central “In a study published last month, Food and Drug Administration researchers said microwave popcorn bags alone could expose the public to 'hundreds of times' more C8 than normal use of nonstick cookware.” The C8 is then ingested by the people eating the popcorn.

Maureen McFadden of WDNU reported on 5/3/06: “Recent tests found PFOA, which can be extracted from Fluorotelomer, does cause cancer in animals.” Scientist Glen Evers explains, “Even before we cook the popcorn, the butter is already contaminated with a paper flurochemical that will be absorbed into your blood and stay in your blood for a long, long time.”

[Luminous Animal]

14. Microwave popcorn is one of the reasons why I find people so baffling...

Hello people. It takes only a few minutes more to make your own stove top popcorn.

[cbdo2007]

20. Or with a popcorn maker. And it tastes much better and is cheaper.

[GoCubsGo]

30. Yup. Even if you use real butter, it's still cheaper.

I like being able to control the salt. Even the "low sodium" microwave popcorn is too salty for me.

[flamingdem]

16. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed regulations against PFOA in packaging, thanks a bunch

California and food packaging

An attempt to regulate PFOA in food packaging occurred in the US State of California in 2008. A bill, sponsored by State Senator Ellen Corbett and the Environmental Working Group, was approved that would have banned PFOA, PFOS, and related seven or more fluorinated carbon compounds in food packaging starting in 2010,<81><82> but the bill was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger.<83> The bill would have impacted fluorochemical manufacturers outside of the state, and Schwarzenegger was lobbied by the chemical industry to veto. Schwarzenegger said the compound should be reviewed by the newly established, and more comprehensive, state program.<83>

from wikipedia

[KamaAina]

31. Ellen Corbett is my state senator!

I've met with her personally. :thumbsup:

As for Ahh-nuld: Buh-bye!!

[ampad]

24. Nice to know that you can pop it in a plain paper bag

People who work in offices where microwave popcorn is allowed are not so lucky.

[Fuzz]

26. Big pot, peanut oil, get it hot, throw in kernals and butter, put lid on, shake,

open lid just slightly to let the steam out, when the popcorn no longer is popping all over the place take lid off salt, when popping stops put in large bowl, resalt and mix, then enjoy.

[Uncle Joe]

27. As a side note, I wonder about those plastic bags of veggies that you can microwave?

I'm tempted to buy them, but don't because of dangerous chemicals potentially leeching from those bags after being microwaved.

Thanks for the thread, marmar.

[Brewman_Jax]

29. I use my wok to make popcorn

a touch of oil in a hot wok, add the corn, cover, shake, and listen. It doesn't take too long.