Tag: Bronchiolitis obliterans

Following the "popcorn lung" controversy of the early 2000s, where factory workers developed serious lung disease from inhaling diacetyl vapors, many major food manufacturers in the U.S. voluntarily reduced or eliminated its use. As a result, synthetic diacetyl is far less common today, but the compound is still naturally present in low concentrations in a variety of foods and beverages due to fermentation and other processes.

Since 2007, major microwave popcorn manufacturers voluntarily removed added diacetyl from their butter flavorings following public health concerns. While many still ask which microwave popcorn has diacetyl, the definitive answer is that commercially available products no longer contain the specific synthetic additive associated with 'popcorn lung'.