Tag: microwave

Chemicals Leak Into Microwave Popcorn

Scientists have found that microwave popcorn could be a source of a chemical that might cause cancer in humans. The GLRC’s Mark Brush has more:

Transcript

Scientists have found that microwave popcorn could be a source of a chemical that might
cause cancer in humans. The GLRC’s Mark Brush has more:


(sound of microwave popcorn)


Alright, I like microwave popcorn too, and I don’t like where this study is going, but the
Food and Drug Administration found that the grease-resistant coating inside microwave
popcorn bags can get into the popcorn oil. The coating is made with chemicals similar to
those found in non-stick pots and pans.


Tim Begley is a research chemist with the FDA. He was the lead author on a study
published in the journal Food Additives and Contaminants:


“A microwave popcorn bag is a very, very, very extreme situation, because of the heat
generated on a microwave popcorn bag.”


He’s talking about 400 degrees in just a minute or two. The chemicals used to make the
grease resistant coatings can break down into a suspected carcinogen known as PFOA,
but Begley stresses it is not known whether people are exposed to PFOA after eating a
bag of microwave popcorn. He says more study is needed.


For the GLRC, I’m Mark Brush.

Related Links

Plastics in Microwave May Pose Health Risks

A recent Wall Street Journal article has again raised the issue of
plastic food wraps used in microwave ovens. Citing a recent study by
Consumer Reports, the Journal cast doubt on the safety of plastics that
can leak chemicals into foods–some of these chemicals can interfere with
our body’s hormones. While scientists differ in their assessment of the
risks, most agree that consumer caution is warranted. The Great Lakes
Radio Consortium’s Haven Miller has more:

Cooking Methods Lower Exposure

For years, residents around the Great Lakes have been warned not to eat certain species of contaminated fish. But a new report to be published in the American Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that certain cooking techniques can minimize the risk of exposure to toxins like P-C-B’s. However, environmentalists say the report may missing the bigger picture. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Steve Frenkel has more: