The reason? Microwaving can cause the chemicals in the lining of the bag, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), to vaporize and leach into your popcorn.
PFOA's are "part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA," says Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy group.
"They stay in your body for years and accumulate there," says Naidenko, which is why researchers worry that levels in humans could approach the amounts causing cancers in laboratory animals. DuPont and other manufacturers have promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan, but millions of bags of popcorn will be sold between now and then."
In addition, diacetyl, the ingredient responsible for the butter flavor, may be responsible for an unusually high incidence of lung disease diagnosed in workers at popcorn factories, according to several studies.
An easy solution is to pop natural kernels the old-fashioned way: in a skillet, wrote Prevention's Anne Underwood. "For flavorings, you can add real butter or dried seasonings, such as dillweed, vegetable flakes, or soup mix." It's also much cheaper.
So for my popcorn balls I will be popping them over the stove this year. If you would like to find out the rest of the forbidden foods read the whole article.
