In poor taste Maybe Kraft missed all the ruckus about popcorn lung that occurred a few months ago. Or maybe it thinks that if it doesn't put its new flavor additive in microwave popcorn it won't have the same health risks. I hate to be the one to break it to them, but no matter what they add it to, their "toasted butter flavor" still contains the chemical culprit behind the lung problems that have popcorn-eaters everywhere fearing for their safety. I'm referring to diacetyl, which is a common ingredient in many butter flavorings -- or WAS, until researchers discovered that exposure to it can severely impact lung function. Since then, more and more companies have started removing this additive from their products. But not Kraft. In the midst of all the controversy, they're actually just now LAUNCHING their toasted butter flavor. And what sort of defense do they offer for the fact that it contains a potentially deadly chemical? According to a "flavorist" from Kraft, "To some customers diacetyl is not an issue." To the ones who haven't heard of it, maybe. Because I certainly can't imagine anyone knowing the risks that accompany this chemical and not being concerned. But even if there are people out there with that little regard for their own health and safety, I don't think we're really talking about a supply-and-demand situation here. It's not as though consumers are clamoring for diacetyl. So why not just remove it from products altogether, rather than making a separate, diacetyl-free version? Kraft asserts that it's "moving forward towards formulating solutions to meet customer needs." I don't know about you, but I definitely don't need diacetyl. But come to think of it, (and here's some more bad news for Kraft) I really don't need my food to taste like "toasted butter" at all… Source:
"Kraft launches toasted butter flavor," FoodNavigator (www.foodnavigator.com), 9/24/07 | 
