Can microwave popcorn cause cancer? Yes. How common is it? That's unkown.
The popcorn bags are made out of paper that has to be coated with a substance to repel grease and moisture so the bag doesn't become soggy and rip while it's getting heated in the microwaave. The chemicals used to coat the paper break down, when heated, in to a substance called perfluorooctanoic (PFOA).
The Environmental Protection Agency has identified PFOA as a "lilely carcinogen."
How much PFOA gets into the popcorn? That's still unknown. The FDA researchers did a study this past Octover about this question. They determined that it's a relatively small amount of PFOA that actually gets into the popcorn.
So the good news may be that you'd probably have to eat a lot of popcorn before you get enough PFOA into your body that it will cause cancer, but it's basically impossible for the FDA to tell how much PFOA would actually cause cancer.
Not only is the bag coating a carcinogen, but also the fake butter flavoring. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health determined that a disease that destroys lung tissue was triggered by exposure to the artificial butter flavoring. This study was done after 24 workers in a Missouri microwave popcorn plant got this disease that was destroygin their lungs. And it wasn't just 24 workers affected. There were 130 other employees who had high rates of bronchitis and asthma from this butter flavoring.
What's in the fake butter? Diacetyl. It gives artificial butter it's flavor and smell. This is an FDA-approved chemical that is also found in many wines, cookies, candies, beers, and cheese-flavored products.
In Nov '05 54 former workers from the popcorn plant settled lawsuits out of court, while 4 others went to trial and the verdict totaled mover $50 million dollars in compensation for the 7 workers.
How can the FDA approve something known to kill your lungs? That's absurd.
So before you make your next bag of microwave popcorn, thing of what it's doing to your health. More people should go back to the good old fashion method of popping kernels in oil in pots on the stove.
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Wow. I did not know that.
... but are you sure you're not just some health addict that has come to convert people to become Vegans? Just kidding.
That's really strange, but don't you think that if popcorn can cause cancer, wouldn't the government have done something by now? If it's bad for people's healths then wouldn't the government have banned microwavable popcorn from being produced?
Oh and there are some dangers in cooking popcorn over the stove. One for example is the danger of burning youself. I've burned myself while trying to pop kernals in a pot and it's not a pleasant experience.
Can microwave popcorn cause cancer?
I am not surprised, Everything causes cancer now and days
Most unhealthy things that are made to be cooked easier and faster cause cancer. Or heart disease. Or brain disease. Doctors know it's best -- heck, we ALL know it's best -- to have a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables and a good variety of other organic/fresh foods. Why should anyone be surprised when something like this causes cancer?
Oh well. I'll just be glad I don't eat microwaved popcorn.
Yeah this sounds completely ridiculous to me.
Too much ramen can also cause cancer. But I ain't gonna give it up. Ramen is my life.
Yet another item to add to the ridiculous list of things that can give you cancer. Smarties, burnt toast, Sunsilk shampoo... You have to wonder if there is anything that DOESN'T give us cancer =/
How can the FDA approve something known to kill your lungs? That's absurd.
Diacetyl is a natural byproduct of yeast fermentation. Generally, you don't get enough of it to harm you.
BTW, Dihydrogen Monoxide is known to kill your lungs, but folks still use it everyday.
Isn't that water? Hahaha!
I hate this popcorn now.
I dont think this popcorn should be sold. Cancer is a very horrible thing and it kills. It is horrible of you people to sell things like this. We have a right to do something about this. Do you want to kill people? HUH? I hate that you want to do such a tragic thing to all the people of the world! Signed - Lauren B. 9 years old Ryane M. 11 years old
^Don't hate. That's way more toxic than you realize.
The reason the gov't hasn't done anything yet is because the data is just now being discovered. It was only a few years ago that the PFOA compounds were discovered to be having adverse human health impacts, and the companies that make it - like DuPont - are trying to say that it's harmless. But of course, they make bunches of money from these chemicals, so they don't want them banned. I work with scientists who are examining the data. The dangers are just coming to light. That's why the gov't hasn't banned them yet - they have to have solid evidence that will stand up in court to a bunch of lawyers and companies who will lie through their teeth to keep their profit margins up.
You know what? If you're a living person, you're at risk for cancer. I'm not surprised that "popcorn causes cancer" because practically anything can cause cancer anyway. May as well just live normally and deal with things in life as they come.
"Men become civilized, not in proportion to their willingness to believe, but in proportion to their readiness to doubt."
"Freedom of press is limited to those who own one."
H. L. Mencken
I usually make my popcorn the Good Ol' Way.
It tastes much better :D
I think this is probably case of phantom risk...Like in aspartame studies, where they had to feed rats their weight in aspartame to cause cancer--no one would ever eat that much. So I wouldn't worry too much.
b-money
"A cactus is the opposite of a chair. In my house you can sit anywhere but there."
how interesting. now i'll know to stay away from popcorn.
I can't believe its butter.....
How can I be so naive that popcorn does not give us cancer. Blahhh. Could it be that Bush owns the popcorn business and cheats by lying to us that its prefectly safe. It seems to me that now-days we live in a world where every decision is based on profit cheating people without the concern for someones health. Do you think that the food industry cares whether popcorn gives cancer or not? Why do you think there's so much process and fast food out there for the public? Certainly not for the health. Of course the Gov't knows about these issues but do they also care. They seem to cheat us in the same fashion as industry does. Whatever we eat know a days gives us some harm in some sort. Its not so complicated just simply eat the old fashion way or follow good eating habits like other countries do and it will be alright.
Estrada
Sadly it only takes one TINY particle to cause cancer. Carcinogenic material is measured in PPM, or parts per million, and it can take a ratio of less than one PPM to cause cancer. The fact of the matter is that if you're body is susseptable to cancerous materials and you come into contact with those materials you can get cancer. It doesn't matter if you're around carcinogens many times or only once. If the right (or wrong, depending on how you look at it) particle enters your body you can be at risk for cancer. Eating more or less microwave popcorn doesn't make you more or less likely to develop cancer, it only determines the amount of exposure you have had to the potentially cancer causing agents. That having been said you don't need to worry more or less if you have had low or high exposure rates to such materials. What you would be wise to do instead is to find out what the symptoms of related illnesses, including cancer, are and seek medical advice if you have displayed related symptoms. The above comments are true in that there are a NUMBER of things that have been proven to cause cancer, so you should be aware of your changing medical needs, but as you do that please try to keep in mind that stress can bring on a number of symptoms and that unneeded worry is almost as hard on your body as is an illness such as cancer. Remember, when in doubt counsult someone with more training than you! LOL! I wish everyone happy health. ~Boitchick
Yo just a tip,
If you're going to publish this shit on the internet, you should probably learn how to spell and maybe edit your work more. If you don't know how to spell and structure sentences nobody will trust your research, they'll use another source.
Your Welcome,
You can, you know, not be so rude. I saw one misspelling in the blog, which is much, much better than a number of the blogs on the site.
~C
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About the spelling, there are quite a few typos but they are obviously not caused by lack of literacy, but by carelessness. Also diacetyl is not a carcinogen, although it does cause "popcorn lung."
crap i love popcorn. it seems like everything cuases cancer