It can cause what is known as ‘popcorn lungs’, a rare and life-threatening bronchiolitis, which is also irreversible

Traditionally, Indians make their roti with corn flour, children relish these boiled, while older children and adults enjoy roasted corns with a variety of masalas, such as lemon, hot chilly powder, salt and so on. From these traditional bites, we have progressed to ready-made popcorn pouches that can be "roasted" in a microwave.

Recent reports indicate that a microwave may not be a healthy way to prepare popcorn. It appears the problem starts with microwaving the popcorn in its specially made pouches. The heating process vapourises the diacetyl in the bag which can cause Alzheimer's disease and damage the lungs! It can cause what is now popularly known as "popcorn lungs", also known as bronchiolitis obliterans, which is a rare and irreversible life-threatening disease.

Bronchiolitis Obliterans is caused by the inhalation of diacetyl fumes which causes scarring in lungs. Sufferers of popcorn lungs have difficulty in exhaling and this can at times become fatal. It appears that when it is severe, only a lung transplant can save the patients' life and some former popcorn factory workers reported to have died while waiting for transplants.

Because of the public uproar in 2007, major popcorn makers announced their plans to drop diacetyl in a phased manner. These were Weaver Popcorn Company, ConAgra Foods Inc, American Popcorn Company and General Mills Inc.

According to the Seattle Post Intelligence, as many as 3 billion bags of microwave popcorn are sold every year. Many leading companies, including Orville Redenbacher, Act II, Pop Secret and Joly Time have removed diacetyl from their microwave formulas. We should remember that regular popcorn machines are not the same as microwaves.

It may be noted that, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency, there is concern about another chemical called "perfluorooctanoic acid" or PFOA which is used to line microwave bags to make them fire resistant. This same synthetic chemical is found in Teflon pots and pans, PFOA is dangerous because it can persist in the environment and in the human body for long periods of time, and this has been labelled as a "likely carcinogen" by the US EPA.

It is important that consumers must read the instructions on the popcorn bags and only those which are free from these chemicals can be used without fear. Or else, the traditional option of "makki-ki-roti" and "sarson-ka-saag" is always available.

(AK Ramdas has worked with the Engineering Export Promotion Council of the ministry of commerce. He was also associated with various committees of the Council. His international career took him to places like Beirut, Kuwait and Dubai at a time when these were small trading outposts; and later to the US.)