Artificial butter flavoring

Artificial butter flavoring is a flavoring used to give a food the taste and smell of butter. It may contain diacetyl, acetylpropionyl, or acetoin, three natural compounds in butter that contribute to its characteristic taste and smell. Manufacturers of margarines or similar oil-based products typically add it (along with beta carotene for the yellow color) to make the final product butter-flavored, because it would otherwise be relatively tasteless.[1]

Butter-Vanilla flavor, a combination of butter flavor and vanilla flavor

Butter-flavoring controversy

The lung disease bronchiolitis obliterans is attributed to prolonged exposure to diacetyl, e.g. in an industrial setting.[2][3] Workers in several factories that manufacture artificial butter flavoring have been diagnosed with bronchiolitis obliterans, a rare and serious disease of the lungs.[2] The disease has been called "popcorn worker's lung" or "popcorn lung" because it was first seen in former workers of a microwave popcorn factory in Missouri,[4] but NIOSH refers to it by the more general term "flavorings-related lung disease".[4] It has also been called "flavorings-related bronchiolitis obliterans"[4] or diacetyl-induced bronchiolitis obliterans.[5] People who work with flavorings that include diacetyl are at risk for flavorings-related lung disease, including those who work in popcorn factories, restaurants, other snack food factories, bakeries, candy factories, margarine and cooking spread factories, and coffee processing facilities.[6]

In the year 2000, eight cases of bronchiolitis obliterans were detected in former employees of a microwave popcorn plant. Many of these individuals had initially been misdiagnosed as having other pulmonary diseases such as COPD and asthma. NIOSH investigated the worksite and suggested that artificial butter flavoring containing diacetyl was the most likely causative agent for the cases of bronchiolitis obliterans.[7] Follow up investigations at the plant revealed that 25% of employees had abnormal spirometry exams. The plant effectively implemented changes reducing air concentrations of diacetyl by 1 to 3 orders of magnitude in the years following. A stabilization of respiratory symptoms was seen after this point in those who had been exposed to high levels of diacetyl. However, declines in lung function as measured by spirometry continued.[8] Other studies also found cases of bronchiolitis obliterans in workers at 4 other microwave popcorn production facilities.[7] Additionally further studies have demonstrated a large increase in abnormal spirometry values in workers exposed to flavoring chemicals with a clear dose-response relationship.[9][10]

In 2006, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the United Food and Commercial Workers petitioned the U.S. OSHA to promulgate an emergency temporary standard to protect workers from the deleterious health effects of inhaling diacetyl vapors.[11] The petition was followed by a letter of support signed by more than 30 prominent scientists.[12] On January 21, 2009, OSHA issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking for regulating exposure to diacetyl.[13] The notice requests respondents to provide input regarding adverse health effects, methods to evaluate and monitor exposure, the training of workers. That notice also solicited input regarding exposure and health effects of acetoin, acetaldehyde, acetic acid and furfural.[14]

Two bills in the California Legislature seek to ban the use of diacetyl.[15][16][17]

In 2012, Wayne Watson, a regular microwavable popcorn consumer for years, was awarded US$7.27 million in damages from a federal jury in Denver, which decided his lung disease was caused by the chemicals in microwave popcorn and that the popcorn's manufacturer, Gilster-Mary Lee Corporation, and the grocery store that sold it should have warned him of its dangers.[18][19][20]

Regulation

The European Commission has declared diacetyl is legal for use as a flavouring substance in all EU states.[21] As a diketone, diacetyl is included in the EU's flavouring classification Flavouring Group Evaluation 11 (FGE.11). A Scientific Panel of the EU Commission evaluated six flavouring substances (not including diacetyl) from FGE.11 in 2004.[22] As part of this study, the panel reviewed available studies on several other flavourings in FGE.11, including diacetyl. Based on the available data, the panel reiterated the finding that there were no safety concerns for diacetyl's use as a flavouring.

In 2007, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the EU's food safety regulatory body, stated its scientific panel on food additives and flavourings (AFC) was evaluating diacetyl along with other flavourings as part of a larger study.[23]

In 2007, the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association recommended reducing diacetyl in butter flavorings.[24] Manufacturers of butter flavored popcorn including Pop Weaver, Trail's End, and ConAgra Foods (maker of Orville Redenbacher's and Act II) began removing diacetyl as an ingredient from their products.[25][26]

A 2010 U.S. OSHA Safety and Health Information Bulletin and companion Worker Alert recommend employers use safety measures to minimize exposure to diacetyl or its substitutes.[27]

References
  1. Pavia; et al. (February 2, 2010). Introduction to Organic Laboratory Techniques. p. 186. ISBN 978-1439049327.
  2. Kreiss, Kathleen (August 2017). "Recognizing occupational effects of diacetyl: What can we learn from this history?". Toxicology. 388: 48–54. doi:10.1016/j.tox.2016.06.009. PMC 5323392. PMID 27326900.
  3. "CDC - Flavorings-Related Lung Disease: Exposures to Flavoring Chemicals - NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic". www.cdc.gov. November 21, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  4. Levy BS, Wegman DH, Baron SL, Sokas RK, eds. (2011). Occupational and environmental health recognizing and preventing disease and injury (6th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 414. ISBN 9780199750061. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  5. Committee to Review the Respiratory Diseases Research Program, Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology, Division on Earth and Life Studies, National Research Council and Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (2008). Respiratory diseases research at NIOSH : reviews of research programs of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. p. 139. ISBN 9780309118736. Retrieved June 23, 2015.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. "CDC - Flavorings-Related Lung Disease: Exposures to Flavoring Chemicals - NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic". www.cdc.gov. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  7. Kreiss K (August 2017). "Recognizing occupational effects of diacetyl: What can we learn from this history?". Toxicology. 388: 48–54. doi:10.1016/j.tox.2016.06.009. PMC 5323392. PMID 27326900.
  8. Kanwal R, Kullman G, Fedan KB, Kreiss K (2011). "Occupational lung disease risk and exposure to butter-flavoring chemicals after implementation of controls at a microwave popcorn plant". Public Health Reports. 126 (4): 480–94. doi:10.1177/003335491112600405. PMC 3115208. PMID 21800743.
  9. Kreiss K (February 2014). "Work-related spirometric restriction in flavoring manufacturing workers". American Journal of Industrial Medicine. 57 (2): 129–37. doi:10.1002/ajim.22282. PMC 4586123. PMID 24265107.
  10. Lockey JE, Hilbert TJ, Levin LP, Ryan PH, White KL, Borton EK, et al. (July 2009). "Airway obstruction related to diacetyl exposure at microwave popcorn production facilities". The European Respiratory Journal. 34 (1): 63–71. doi:10.1183/09031936.00050808. PMID 19567602.
  11. "UFCW and Teamsters' Petition to OSHA" (PDF). Defending Science. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2007.
  12. "Scientists' Letter to Secretary Chao" (PDF). Defending Science. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2007.
  13. Federal Register, January 21, 2009 issue
  14. "OSHA begins rule on diacetyl". Chemical & Engineering News. 87 (4): 24. January 26, 2009.
  15. McKinley J (May 6, 2007). "Flavoring-Factory Illnesses Raise Inquiries". The New York Times.
  16. "Bill Text - SB-456 Diacetyl". California Legislative Information.
  17. "Bill Text - AB-514 Workplace safety and health". California Legislative Information.
  18. ABC News: 'Popcorn Lung' Lawsuit Nets $7.2M Award
  19. NewsFeed Researcher: 'Popcorn Lung' Lawsuit Nets $7.2M Award
  20. Jaffe M (September 21, 2012). "Centennial man with "popcorn lung" disease gets $7.3 million award". The Denver Post. Archived from the original on September 21, 2012. Retrieved September 22, 2012.
  21. "Adopting a register of flavouring substances used in or on foodstuffs drawn up in application of Regulation (EC) No 2232/96 of the European Parliament and of the Council" (PDF). October 28, 1996. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 19, 2007.
  22. "Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Food Additives, Flavourings, Processing Aids and Materials in contact with Food (AFC) on a request from the Commission" (PDF). The EFSA Journal. 166: 1–44. 2004.
  23. Europe takes 'wait-and-see' stance on diacetyl flavouring. Oct 2007
  24. "Comments of the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States on New Information on Butter Flavored Microwave Popcorn" (PDF) (press release). FEMA. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 18, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
  25. Weaver Popcorn Company. Press Release: Pop Weaver introduces first microwave popcorn with flavoring containing no diacetyl Archived September 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  26. ConAgra Foods Press Release ConAgra Foods press release announcing removal of added diacetyl
  27. OSHA Recommends Safety Measures to Protect Workers from Diacetyl Exposure, EHS Today, December 10, 2010.
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