The Sacramento Bee reported the "recent discovery of a life-threatening disease among former workers of flavoring factories, including two in Southern California, and a backdrop of dozens of similarly disabled workers who inhaled the buttery vapors at microwave popcorn plants in the Midwest." Bronchiolitis obliterans is a :rare condition that literally obliterates the bronchioles." (The crucial airways branching like twigs at the ends of the respiratory tree, where oxygen enters the blood.)
Diacetyl, a naturally occurring chemical in butter that is synthesized and highly concentrated to be used as butter flavoring has caused at least three deaths among (mostly un-unionized) flavoring plant workers and two others are candidates for double lung transplants.
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Food plant safety faulted
Worker lung disease linked to additive.
By Chris Bowman -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:01 am PDT Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Story appeared on Page A1 of The Bee
Thursday, August 03, 2006
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