Microwave "Popcorn Lung" Sufferer Ate Two Bags A Night

AP:

Wayne Watson loved microwave popcorn so much he would eat at least two bags each night, breathing in the steam from the just-opened package, until doctors told him it may have made him sick.

Watson, whose case of "popcorn lung" is the sole reported case of the disease in a non-factory worker, said he is convinced his heavy consumption of popcorn caused his health problems.

Read the whole story: AP

Comments

[suntzu]

07:50 PM on 09/06/2007

Sorry to be the bad news guy, but it isn't just microwave popcorn that contains diacetyl. Pre-popped popcorn sold in bags also probably contains diacetyl if it is "butter flavored" popcorn. The kind that does not say "butter flavored" usually does not contain diacetyl, but just to make sure, check the labeling. If it says "artificial butter flavor" it is a reasonable bet it contains diacetyl.
I doubt if too many people will eat two bags or pre-popped corn every night, but is a little bit of poison every few days good for you?

[HumeSkeptic]

04:07 PM on 09/06/2007

One who consumes two bags of popcorn every night has already lived longer than he/she should.

[LeftCoastLefty]

08:01 PM on 09/06/2007

True. I would be more concerned about 'pocorn ass' or 'popcorn coronary arteries.'

[Rumplestiltskin]

03:06 PM on 09/06/2007

Huh

[farseer]

01:39 PM on 09/06/2007

Microwave popcorn tastes much worse than real (pan) popcorn. You would think real popcorn lovers would invest in a popcorn maker, which makes real popcorn, but automatically

[chronic]

01:34 PM on 09/06/2007

Two bags a night?

Two of any one thing a night would probably kill you.

[TheMadScientist]

02:45 PM on 09/06/2007

Even orgasms? That would make me sad.

[Natal]

01:34 PM on 09/06/2007

Will all the movie theatres now offer real butter on their popcorn? And what about the servers behind the counter shouldn't they be tested for lung disease? Hey, FDA wake up and starting banning some of this stuff. Don't be beholden to the multi-national corps who are trying to manipulate you.

[johnmorgan]

12:37 PM on 09/06/2007

Karmic retribution for all those slobs chomping on popcorn all around me every time I go to see a movie.

[chronic]

01:35 PM on 09/06/2007

Microwave popcorn in theaters?

[lindamart60]

11:56 AM on 09/06/2007

I hope the gentlemen will recover from this illness. I'll pray for him.

Perhaps this will help the John Edwards presidential campaign. Under his no choice health plan, doctor's visits will be mandatory. Perhaps this condition would have been discovered sooner.

[WinstonSmith]

11:54 PM on 09/06/2007

lindamart60 (See profile | I'm a fan of lindamart60)
I hope the gentlemen will recover from this illness. I'll pray for him.

Perhaps you should do a rain dance for him since it will have the same effect in helping him.

[godlessclif]

11:45 AM on 09/06/2007

The problem is microwave popcorn did not taste "buttery" when waved in oil. Since your average couch potato is to lazy to put real butter in the popcorn they whipped something up in the lab that tasted buttery, but acted like oil. Unfortunately this new chemical kills you.

This si the problem with chemical food. We evolved
with the plants and animals on the planet. Some try to poison us like poison ivy, other try to help up because they are evolved to coexist with humans. We evolved to be imune to the others.

With lab chemicals all bets are off. we don't know what they will do. There are so many they can't really be tested.

[sonofsamstone]

11:57 AM on 09/06/2007

Well said. People need to be wary of taking shortcuts with their nutrition. If people took the extra time needed to cook real food instead of believing the hype that convienience food is the same as real food but quicker, we'd go a long way toward solving our health care crisis!
Put on some tunes, pour a glass of wine, and cook a real meal for chrissakes. Yes, it really is THAT easy.

[kkuchenb]

08:06 PM on 09/06/2007

Well, in theory, I agree with you, but with life the way it is for most Americans, there's just so little time. I spent 4 hours a day commuting, and absolutely the last thing I want to do is cook. I eat salad from a bag a lot...and fruit and other things that can be made in 5 minutes. But it is still possible to eat healthily even if you don't have time. And it doesn't include microwave popcorn.

[deedrdo]

11:39 AM on 09/06/2007

we use one of these devices to pop corn in the microwave and love it. you use no oil and it works every time.

http://www.amazon.com/Presto-04830-PowerPop-Microwave-Multi-Popper/dp/B00005IBXK/ref=sr_1_7/103-8979371-4485448?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1189092987&sr=8-7

[sonofsamstone]

11:00 AM on 09/06/2007

Why not just cook it on the stovetop in a pan and pour some REAL melted butter on it? It tastes sooo much better, is healthier, doesn't take much longer, and it's a helluva lotta fun to do!

[Rand]

10:33 AM on 09/06/2007

Let's not go TOO hard on Orville. What with his being dead, he probably didn't have much to do with this!

[Cappy]

09:52 AM on 09/06/2007

Here's what Orville Redenbacher doesn't want you to know: Just put some plain ol' popcorn in a brown paper lunch bag, enough to cover the bottom, microwave on high for about two minutes and you have a crunchy low fat treat. You can even re-microwave the Old Maids. Sometime I melt a little butter and honey in a coffee cup and pour that on.

[Portnoy]

09:45 AM on 09/06/2007

Next up: The attack on BIG POPCORN

Why put the blame on the guy eating two bags a day? Why accept any personal responsibility at all?

"Orville MADE me eat it! If it wasn't there, I wouldn't have eaten it! ITs destroying the Environment! DOOM! DOOOM!"

Everything in moderation.

[raker]

09:35 AM on 09/06/2007

On Today, GE employee and pharmaceutical spokesperson Meredith Viera repeatedly stated that people "may" be getting sick from "eating" too much popcorn, during a report about people whose lungs were destroyed from breathing the "flavor chemicals" (Con Agra's words) that impart "butter flavor." The report wrapped up with assurances that Con Agra's flavor chemicals are completely safe. What a relief.