Mmmm, the smell of Perfluoroalkyls and Diacetyl

What am I talking about?

These are two ingredients that are likely in your microwave popcorn! 

• Mercola.com says that in microwave popcorn you are getting: Perfluoroalkyls, which include perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). These are chemicals used to keep grease from leaking through fast food wrappers, are being ingested by people through their food and showing up as contaminants in blood. Microwave popcorn bags are lined with PFOA, and when they are heated the compound leaches onto the popcorn. These chemicals are part of an expanding group of chemicals commonly referred to as "gender-bending" chemicals, because they can disrupt your endocrine system and affect your sex hormones. The EPA has ruled PFCs as "likely carcinogens," and has stated that PFOA "poses developmental and reproductive risks to humans." Researchers have also linked various PFCs to a range of other health dangers.

• Other concerns, reports the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, revolve around the chemical diacetyl, and it's used in the production of microwave popcorn, but it has also likely led to scores of factory workers developing a severe lung condition. Diacetyl occurs naturally in some foods, including butter and many dairy products, fruits, wine and beer. It's reportedly used in "thousands" of food products to add or increase butter flavoring. Other articles report that it is safe when eaten (research for another day), the problem arises when it is heated to high temperatures and inhaled. Such as when opening a bag of steaming hot microwave popcorn.

There are risks with microwave popcorn, like with many other things we encounter, but we need to be aware of them in order to limit or eliminate our risk. You can rationalize your way out of this by saying "well, I don't eat it often" and "I let mine cool before opening the bag" etc, but why take the chance and why eat popcorn with added chemicals and preservatives? Some companies have already removed diacetyl from their microwave popcorn which is a start.
 

So what do you do if you still want to snack on delicious but healthy popcorn?

Just like the answer to most other food questions... make it yourself. Eat foods that fuel your body!Make it in a skillet with oil like my Mom always did. Or buy a $20 air popper, buy a bag of kernels and make yourself some inexpensive, healthy, yummy popcorn. You'll save money, and look at the waste/recycling reduction with no boxes, plastic wrapping and chemical-laden bags!


Action Item: Stop eating microwave popcorn! This topic was brought up in one of Ron's nutrition classes; we stopped eating microwave popcorn that day.

For Further Reading: Is Microwave Popcorn Bad For You?, Is Microwave Popcorn Toxic?, Dangers of Microwave Popcorn and EPA Microwave Popcorn Emissions Study Finally Published