Pantagraph.com | News | ConAgra will drop popcorn chemical linked to lung ailment

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

zach wrote on Oct 11, 2007 9:29 AM:

" I liked micro waved pop corn until i read this story. YUCH "

Digs Deeper wrote on Sep 7, 2007 11:13 AM:

" Why do I "scare" you? Does one man's opinions about the real world that we live in "SCARE" you? I have opened my eyes, I absorb everything around me and analyze every detail I can muster then speak based on life experiences, feelings, and my instinct weather right or wrong, freedom of speech is the only real freedom truly left unabated.......... Scared that an evolutionist, believes that all actions have reactions, and humans need to be more aware that we are connected with nature and instincts drive our actions, as we are animals..... Please respect my GOD Mother Earth.... "

Dr. Orangutan Chief Cardiologist Miller Park Zoo wrote on Sep 6, 2007 7:32 PM:

" Digs Deeper frightens me. Somebody throw me a banana with a hacksaw inside it. "

Digs Deeper, wrote on Sep 6, 2007 10:35 AM:

" And now that the state/ city's have determined that they are responsible for our over all health and have the right to protect health with regulations , we the public have the right to sue any government body that fails to protect our health by, failing to test, regulate, and pass legislation to protect health, when a known health risk is present, and poses a risk if exposed. I believe this could also be used to sue an employer who allows microwaved popcorn and laser printers as well. The can of worms was opened, who will win! Going to get rich sueing....... "

fake butter hater wrote on Sep 6, 2007 10:13 AM:

" I hate that fake butter, it smells like coconut sun tan lotion and tastes like crisco, why cant we have real butter at least in the theaters. Forget microwave popcorn, it's never any good. "

Digs Deeper wrote on Sep 6, 2007 10:11 AM:

" So in the office, I will gladdy tell the, popcorn eaters and the laser printer user that, they must go outside fifteen feet from the building to pop that popcorn and to print their documents, after all smoking is banned indoors due to the risk of cancer. We smokers demand that laser printers and popping pop corn indoors be made illegal, and both do stink , too! Ahh the irony, non-smokers now our turn to take your rights to subject my air with cancer causing agents, after all you won, right, or did you? Now it's our turn to, stir the pot see how you like your rights being stripped, all in the name of perceived safety! My letters are being prepared as we speak, sending 3 to every government official I can find their addy's for........ Fight on. "

New SIN tax wrote on Sep 6, 2007 9:40 AM:

" Popcorn needs to be taxed. Like beer and cigs. We will use that money to fund education and healthcare. (rolling my eyes) "

Fatso wrote on Sep 6, 2007 6:28 AM:

" Bad news for the Healthists: Cooking ANYTHING releases carcinogens. But, popcorn? Oh the Humanity. There's only one good thing to come out of this latest 'study': Someone, somewhere now actually has the name of one person who actually died from second hand 'something'. "

Dr. Orangutan Chief Cardiologist Miller Park Zoo wrote on Sep 6, 2007 5:29 AM:

" "Quoting"Bronchiolitis obliterans is not a cancer. It is often confused with bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP). Diacetyl is a natural byproduct of fermentation. It is present in many California chardonnays known as "Butter Bombs". After the workers filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers, the United States Environmental Protection Agency began an investigation into the chemical properties of microwave popcorn butter flavoring. On July 19, 2005, jurors awarded $2.7 million to a popcorn plant worker in Missouri for his claim of diacetyl-induced respiratory problems "

Grumpy wrote on Sep 5, 2007 11:51 PM:

" Well it's about time the media starts reporting about all of the chemicals that are in our food today. Virtually all food from the supermarket is tainted with chemicals, many of them not even listed on the labels. This is part of the reason why the wealthiest nation on the planet is seeing many illnesses and diseases reaching epidemic proportions. It's why the U.S. ranks #37 among nations in overall health. How PATHETIC!!! Food corporations are free to taint our food supply while our government stands by winking and nodding. "

Worried about the chemicals? wrote on Sep 5, 2007 11:30 PM:

" I'm more worried about the microwave itself. I never cook or heat things in one. Try good old fashioned popcorn popped in a pan or popper, and if you don't want the "plastic" from the margarine, try real butter, or even bacon grease for those of you who want the same cardiac experience. You can eat all the real popcorn you want, and gain the benefits of a high fiber diet too, which by some of the comments I see here, may be the order of the day, if you catch my drift. "

to wendy wrote on Sep 5, 2007 9:31 PM:

" Plain microwave popcorn is on the shelf at walmart....2 brands. We can't smoke pot legally, but it is legal to use toxic ingredients in our foods. Ever read the ingredients on some 'spicy' flavored foods? I was shocked to read sodium hydroxide (lye) is being used as a flavoring. Who approves this? "

I Will . . . wrote on Sep 5, 2007 5:33 PM:

" Call the police if any nonsmokers get near 15 feet of me while they are eating microwave popcorn. I don't want to die and believe Illinois should put a ban on this. As a matter of speaking, ALL popcorn should be ban until the studies prove otherwise. STOP THE SALE OF POPCORN NOW! "

So that's why^^^ wrote on Sep 5, 2007 2:12 PM:

" I'm nutz? gee-I thought it was from everyday life! :) "

LET"S BAN POPCORN! wrote on Sep 5, 2007 1:23 PM:

" IT causes health problems and I get sick when I have to smell that gross, disgusting smell. Let's ban it in ALL public places. (sound familiar?) "

Why does our government allow us to be..... wrote on Sep 5, 2007 11:53 AM:

" Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do with this product to get their money back. It was a white substance with no food appeal so they added the yellow coloring and sold it to people to use in place of butter. How do you like it? They have come out with some clever new flavorings. Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC. "

Real Popcorn wrote on Sep 5, 2007 11:43 AM:

" Here's what I don't get, it takes only a few minutes to pop a full pan of popcorn on the stove. It tastes way better than out of the microwave and pops better than a popcorn popper. Why buy the packaged microwave popcorn? It's more expensive that way. I've never cared for food cooked or warmed up in the microwave anyway. "

To: Well Another wrote on Sep 5, 2007 10:57 AM:

" Your popcorn is shriveling because you haven't gotten all the water out of the butter. Heat the butter until it boils a bit. I saw this on the Frugal Gourmet a few years back and haven't had shriveled popcorn since. "

*** wrote on Sep 5, 2007 10:56 AM:

" What a rediculous story. "

popcorn factory wrote on Sep 5, 2007 10:50 AM:

" If you've ever worked at the popcorn factory near Jasper, MO. or anything similar, this is not news. I don't know how it translates to consumers though. "

To: Well Another wrote on Sep 5, 2007 10:44 AM:

" Your popcorn is shriveling because you aren't melting the butter enough. You should heat the butter unitl it boils a bit. I saw this on "The Frugal Gourmet" a few years back and haven't had shriveled popcorn since. Like Butter Microwave PC, I gave up on microwave popcorn a long time ago. "

tell us it ain't so wrote on Sep 5, 2007 10:17 AM:

" Now they're warning us that one of life's simple pleasures, the smell of microwaved popcorn, can be dangerous to your health. Perhaps they should be looking into "new car" odor as well. "

What's Up w/ Doc? wrote on Sep 5, 2007 9:59 AM:

" Seems to me this guys doctor should have been concerned about this guy's weight & cholesterol long ago, way before this guy got lung cancer. I don't think you would want this guy's primary care physician. "

Wendy wrote on Sep 5, 2007 9:18 AM:

" I had a dog named Popcorn. Anyway, more worried about all that fat - like you say - can't find plain microwaive popcorn anymore - I would love to see it come back "

Well another~~ wrote on Sep 5, 2007 4:27 AM:

" ban in the works!! We are being bombarded with all these bans on things and this is going to be the next one. Well I don't eat the butter popcorn, I buy mine Natural at Kroger's (Kroger brand) and put my own butter on it. I can not stand the smell or taste of that fake butter, it's gross. If you put your own butter on it melt it in the microwave and put it on by the tablespoon or the popcorn will shrivel. Very few kernals that don't cook either. MMMMM so delicious; just like the good ol days. My bowl is always empty. "

Mr Bellen Howell wrote on Sep 4, 2007 10:48 PM:

" The microwave bag was invented in Bloomington by a Vacuum cleaner bag engineer. The butter flavoring came from a greasy palmed politician. And Paul Martin Simon who was an American politician from Illinois. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1985 and United States Senate from 1985 to 1997. He was a member of the Democratic Party and Orville Redenbacker do look allot alike. "

Butter Microwave PC wrote on Sep 4, 2007 9:52 PM:

" A couple of years ago, I suddenly noticed that I couldn't get microwave popcorn WITHOUT that gruesome faux butter on it. Plain popcorn somehow disappeared off the shelves, never to be replaced. The taste of the "butter" popcorn was horrible and the smell in the popcorn aisle was a real turnoff. We finally broke the microwave popcorn habit and started making it in our heavy 6 quart pan. Aaaaahhhhhh! Real popcorn again!! And I can melt real butter to put on it and also put less salt on it than the microwave corn had. We will NEVER go back! "

2nd Hand Smoke &... wrote on Sep 4, 2007 9:15 PM:

" smoking is banned in the bars so let's ban buttery popcorn at the theatres too. Don't forget the gas stations and everywhere else too. "

Oh! Oh! wrote on Sep 4, 2007 9:06 PM:

" Second-hand popcorn fumes coming to Bloomington-Normal. What should we do? Come on nonsmokers . . . make your claim and get this ban into effect! "

Uncle Andy wrote on Sep 4, 2007 8:20 PM:

" Have you heard about the leading cause of death in this country? It's called "Sudden Impact Carcinoma". Ban cars! "

Cleveland wrote on Sep 4, 2007 7:48 PM:

" I'm sure more people die choking on popcorn, so I don't believe there's cause for concern. Personally, I can't believe the man with the lung disease hasn't already died from all that popcorn! "

more proof.. wrote on Sep 4, 2007 6:55 PM:

" that if it taste good.it must be bad for you.!!!! "

not another wrote on Sep 4, 2007 6:36 PM:

" According to one doctor or another everything may cause cancer so whats the point .... "

Popcorn Lung! wrote on Sep 4, 2007 6:10 PM:

" Now you would have thought they could have come up with a better name than that! Orville Redenbacker is probably turning in his grave! "

Uncle Andy wrote on Sep 4, 2007 6:04 PM:

" If he's eating "several bags of extra butter flavored microwave popcorn" every day for several years", I'd be more concerned about his arteries than his lungs. "

Hmmmm wrote on Sep 4, 2007 5:40 PM:

" Is that why I'm coughing today? I popped a bag of "light" butter each day this past weekend! What's next? "

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