The Cancer Risk of Microwave Popcorn

Photo Caption young boys eating popcornPhoto Credit Jupiterimages/Pixland/Getty ImagesYou might have heard recently that microwave popcorn isn't safe because it Teflon Coating contains chemicals that can increase your risk of cancer. The most common rumor is that it is associated with lung cancer, but in reality, there's no direct link. There is a minor link, however, between microwave popcorn and certain other cancers.
Cancer RiskWhile there's no truth to the rumor that microwave popcorn contains chemicals proven to cause lung cancer, there is a chemical used in the nonstick coating on the inside of the popcorn bags that decomposes, producing a compound called perfluorooctanoic acid. This chemical has been associated with increased risk of certain cancers, including liver and prostate cancer. Dr. Ceramic Coating Frank Gilliland and colleagues reported in a 1993 article in the "Journal of Occupational Medicine" that factory workers exposed to the chemical had increased cancer mortality.
Lung DiseaseThough not a type of cancer, there's a lung disease that's also associated with microwave popcorn. A chemical called diacetyl, used in the flavoring agent added to microwave popcorn, increases rates of an otherwise relatively rare lung condition called bronchiolitis obliterans in factory workers, notes Dr. Frits van Rooy and colleagues in a 2007 article in "Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine." The lung condition results from scarring of small airways in response to chemical irritants, and makes breathing difficult.