The Short Answer
No, diacetyl is no longer used by major microwave popcorn brands. Companies like Orville Redenbacher's and Pop Secret voluntarily phased it out in 2007 after a devastating wave of "popcorn lung" lawsuits from factory workers.
But here is the catch: they replaced it with 2,3-pentanedione, a chemical that causes the exact same lung damage. You aren't avoiding the risk; you're just inhaling a different, equally toxic substitute. If a microwave popcorn bag smells intensely like artificial butter, do not breathe the steam.
Why This Matters
In the early 2000s, workers in microwave popcorn factories started developing bronchiolitis obliterans. This severe, irreversible lung disease literally scars and obliterates the smallest airways. It became universally known as "popcorn lung."
The culprit was diacetyl (2,3-butanedione), the volatile compound responsible for that hyper-realistic movie theater butter smell. When diacetyl is heated to high temperatures, it vaporizes into a highly toxic gas.
Under immense public pressure, the food industry voluntarily removed diacetyl and declared their products "safe." But instead of using real butter, chemists simply swapped one molecule for another. Is Microwave Popcorn Bad|Read More About Microwave Popcorn Risks.
They introduced 2,3-pentanedione, which the CDC later confirmed causes identical respiratory toxicity. This is a classic example of "regrettable substitution"—where a banned chemical is replaced by an unstudied cousin that turns out to be just as dangerous.
What's Actually In Microwave Popcorn
When you look at a box of conventional microwave popcorn, the ingredient list is suspiciously short. The real danger hides in the vagueness.
- Natural and Artificial Flavors — This is where the diacetyl substitutes hide. By law, flavorings don't have to be individually named, allowing toxic diketones to stay hidden on the label.
- Palm Oil or Soybean Oil — Most microwave brands use highly processed, inflammatory seed oils to carry the flavor powder. Oils In Chips
- TBHQ — A synthetic preservative linked to immune system disruption, often used in microwave popcorn oils to extend shelf life.
What to Look For
Green Flags:
- Real ingredients — Look for labels that list popcorn, a high-quality oil, and salt.
- Unflavored or plain kernels — The safest microwave popcorn is the kind you flavor yourself after popping.
- Air-popped popcorn — Skipping the microwave bag entirely eliminates both flavor toxicity and PFAS exposure. Pfas In Popcorn Bags
Red Flags:
- "Movie Theater Butter" claims — This intense flavor profile almost always requires volatile chemical compounds instead of real clarified butter.
- "Natural Flavor" — These are often just diacetyl substitutes derived from natural fermentation rather than synthetic chemistry, which are equally damaging to lungs.
- Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 — Artificial dyes are frequently added to make the chemical butter look authentically yellow.
The Best Options
If you want safe popcorn, your best bet is to avoid the microwavable bags entirely. Air Popped Vs Microwave|Popping Kernels At Home in a stainless steel pot or silicone bowl is vastly superior. If you need convenience, stick to clean, pre-popped brands.
| Brand | Product | Verdict | Why | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LesserEvil | Himalayan Pink Salt Popcorn | ✅ | Real coconut oil and no flavorings. [[is-lesserevil-popcorn-clean | Read our review.]] |
| SkinnyPop | Original Popcorn | ⚠️ | Clean ingredients, but uses refined sunflower oil. [[is-skinnypop-clean | Read our review.]] |
| Pop Secret | Movie Theater Butter | 🚫 | Uses synthetic butter mimics and highly refined oils. | |
| Orville Redenbacher | Ultimate Butter | 🚫 | Loaded with artificial colors and mysterious "natural flavors." |
The Bottom Line
1. Never inhale the steam from a freshly opened bag. If you must eat conventional microwave popcorn, open it away from your face in a well-ventilated area.
2. "No diacetyl" does not mean safe. The chemical replacements (like 2,3-pentanedione) cause identical respiratory damage when heated and inhaled.
3. Make your own or buy clean bagged brands. Real popcorn topped with organic butter is vastly superior to a bag of volatile chemical vapors. Healthiest Popcorn|Find The Healthiest Options.
FAQ
Can eating microwave popcorn give you popcorn lung?
It is highly unlikely, but not impossible. The disease primarily affects factory workers exposed to massive industrial doses. However, there is a documented case of a consumer who developed popcorn lung after eating two bags of heavily buttered microwave popcorn daily for 10 years and habitually inhaling the fumes.
Is diacetyl banned in the US?
No, diacetyl is still totally legal. The FDA categorizes it as "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) for ingestion. The major popcorn manufacturers voluntarily stopped using it due to worker liability lawsuits, but it is still widely used in coffee flavorings, vape juices, and baked goods.
What is the safest way to eat popcorn?
Pop it yourself using whole kernels. You can use an air popper, a stovetop pot with avocado oil, or a plain paper bag in the microwave. Top it with real melted butter or ghee, avoiding chemical flavorings entirely.