Food worker union calls for end to diacetyl in cooking oil; lawmakers seek investigation

[TechBear_Seattle]

Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer

North America's largest union for hotel, restaurant and kitchen workers has called on manufacturers of cooking oils to stop using a lung-destroying butter-flavoring additive called diacetyl, and members of Congress have called for a federal investigation into the use of the additive, including where and how it's being used and whether workers are being harmed.

"It could pose a serious health risk to commercial cooks and UNITE HERE is calling for fast action by the food industry to cease the use of diacetyl flavoring in commercial and home cooking products," the union representing 450,000 workers said in a written statement.

...

The analysis, conducted by the certified laboratory LabCor, found diacetyl vapors were released in all the products when the manufacturer's recommended amount of margarine, oil or spray for a specific recipe was heated.

The highest levels of diacetyl were found in the testing of butter-flavored pan, grill and saute oils used by professional cooks. An extrapolation of the toxic vapors released over a typical four- to five-hour breakfast rush matched or exceeded the diacetyl levels found in some microwave popcorn plants where hundreds of workers were sickened. The deaths of at least three from bronchiolitis obliterans -- inflammation of the small airways in the lungs -- were attributed to exposure to the chemical butter flavoring.



Read more: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/347255_diacetyl14.html

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A list of past P-I articles about diacetyl can be found http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/specials/diacetyl">here.

[L0oniX]

1. And while they're at it, get rid of aspartame.

Oh but that won't happen because of Coke and Pepsi and other companies who profit by selling us shit that harms and or kills us. What would Coke and Pepsi do if they couldn't use aspartame for their diet drinks? What would they use for sweetener with all that water that they steal from 3rd world countries?

Google aspartame and search for shows on aspartame at LinkTV or Freespeech TV. I saw them and the history of how it got passed through the FDA and guess who pushed it through despite the deaths of test subjects; Donald Rumsfeld, war monger and torcher king at large. Rumsfeld was CEO of Searle, maker of aspartame.

Diacetyl and aspartame are not the only substances in our food supply that are harming us. I am surprised that HMO's don't deny benefits to those who consume anything with these chemicals in them.

[splat]

2. Splenda replaces aspartame in Pepsi One, Diet RC Cola, and one Diet Coke variety n/t

[L0oniX]

4. Some studies show that splenda is about as bad as aspartame

I wouldn't use any artificial sweeteners. Honey works good.

[cannabis_flower]

3. I made 3 changes to my diet over the last year..

First I started avoiding hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils and high-fructose corn syrup. Then most recently, I quit drinking sodas of all kinds, including both the regular and the diet on January 1st and haven't had one since.

[L0oniX]

5. Virgin olive oil is great. It has the good HDL which counters the bad.

[devilgrrl]

6. Coconut oil is good too!

The hubbub over saturated fats is a pile of crap.

[OhioChick]

7. When Something is Proven to Harm

Human life.....Why do we always need an "investigation" of some sort?