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GENERAL INFORMATION |
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Popcorn Worker Lung--
A Growing National Concern |
| The National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health ("NIOSH")
found that from 1992 to 2000 eight former workers
of the Gilster-Mary Lee microwave popcorn plant
in Jasper, Missouri, developed a lung disease called bronchiolitis
obliterans, or chronic scarring of the airways.
The disease is extremely rare in young persons
and has been named popcorn workers lung in the
popular press. |
| For the workers
at the Missouri popcorn factory, the scarring
of their airways was severe enough that several
were placed on lung transplant lists. The
NIOSH has also reportedly linked exposure
to the butter flavoring to lung disease in
popcorn factory workers in Illinois, Iowa,
Nebraska and Ohio. Press reports have indicated
that flavoring agents are suspected of causing
bronchiolitis obliterans in workers at California
flavoring plants as well. |
| According to a pulmonary
specialist from a leading lung research hospital,
consumers may be in danger of contracting "popcorn
lung disease" that affects workers from
diacetyl fumes created while microwaving popcorn.
In a July warning letter to federal regulators
made public on September 4, 2007, Dr. Cecil
Rose of Denver's National Jewish Medical and
Research Center says doctors believe they have
the first case of a consumer who developed
lung disease as a result of repeated daily
exposure to fumes from microwaving popcorn. |
| Due to concern over
the danger of the diacetyl flavoring agent
to consumers and workers and recommendations
from the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association,
by January 2008 the four top manufacturers
of microwave popcorn will remove diacetyl as
a flavoring agent from its recipes. One national
popcorn manufacturer based in Indianapolis,
Weaver Popcorn Co. agreed to replace the butter
flavoring ingredient in August 2007. ConAgra
Foods Inc. of Omaha; General Mills Inc. of
Golden Valley, Minn.; and the American Pop
Corn Co. of Sioux City, Iowa, which sell Orville
Redenbacher, Act II, Pop Secret, and Jolly
Time microwave popcorn, have also promised
to change their microwave popcorn recipes.
However, it may take several months for the
reformulated popcorn to replace all the older
varieties on store shelves. |
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| Lieff
Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein,
LLP represents persons injured
by defective and dangerous products. Click
here to submit your case. |
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| A component of artificial
butter flavor is the chemical diacetyl. It is used
for aroma and taste in butter, some cheeses and
snack and bakery products. |
| In tests at NIOSH, laboratory
rats that breathed high concentrations of vapors
from butter flavoring, including diacetyl, developed
significant airway damage. |
| Health officials are also
investigating the safety of workers exposed to
other flavoring agents including acetaldehyd (used
in citrus flavoring) and bensaldehyde (common cherry
and fruit flavors). |
| In March 2004, a jury
in Joplin, Missouri deliberated a little more than
three hours before returning a verdict of $20 million
against International Flavors and Fragrances, Inc.
and its subsidiary, Bush Boake Allen, Inc., for
compensatory personal injury damages to a former
microwave popcorn worker whose lungs were permanently
injured and who is now on a lung transplant list. |
| In
lawsuits by workers at factories using artificial
butter flavoring, it has been alleged that exposure
to compounds used in the oils and butter flavor
mixture has resulted in damage to respiratory systems
leading to asthma, bronchiectasis, bronchiolitis
obliterans, chronic bronchiolitis, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, and severe
lung impairment. |
| The
workers charged that butter flavor manufacturers
failed to warn of the dangers from using butter
flavoring in the production of microwave popcorn
and other food products. |
| If
you have developed an injury or disease due to
working with artificial butter flavoring, please click
here to contact Lieff Cabraser. |
| Alternatively, you may
call Lieff Cabraser lawyer Fabrice Vincent in our
San Francisco office toll free at 1-800-541-7358,
or attorney Elizabeth A. Alexander in our Nashville,
Tennessee office at 1-866-313-1973 (the call is
toll-free). |
| There is no charge
for your email message or telephone call. We
will review your claim for free and without
any obligation on your part. We are currently
representing persons who have developed lung
injuries after working in popcorn factories. |
| Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein,
LLP, is one of the largest law firms in the
nation that represents only plaintiffs. Lieff
Cabraser has a team of personal injury lawyers,
assisted by multiple nurses, scientific advisors
and medical experts, dedicated to advancing
our clients interests, including clients that
have suffered permanent lung injuries. |
| We
are currently representing workers with popcorn
workers lung disease in individual personal
injury lawsuits. |
| For the past four years, the National Law Journal has annually selected our firm as one of the top plaintiffs' law firms in the nation. |
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Our lawyers
have years of experience successfully representing clients
in personal injury cases. |
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There
is no charge or obligation for our review of your case. |
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In death
and serious injury cases, we are pleased to visit you where
you live, at no cost, to discuss your legal rights and answer
your questions. |
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We have
retained product safety and medical experts nationwide to
assist our clients with their claims. |
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| We have represented thousands of
persons in personal injury lawsuits across America,
including residents of Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas,
Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware,
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Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
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| Lieff Cabraser attorneys
provide legal advice and practice law for clients
in federal courts throughout the United States
and in state courts where we are licensed to practice. |
| In states where we are
not licensed to practice, we have affiliations
with local attorneys who serve as co-counsel with
our firm, including attorneys throughout the midwest.
For example, in Indiana, we are associated with
the Indiana law firm of Cohen & Malad, LLP
in this litigation. In Missouri, we are associated
with attorney Kenneth B. McClain of the law firm
Humphrey, Farrington & McClain, P.C. In Iowa,
we are associated with the law firm of Wandro,
Lyons & Baer. Please read our disclaimer. |
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| Trademark
Notice: Personal Injury Lawyer America is an electronic newsletter
from Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP. Lieff Cabraser
represents clients in a wide range of cases, including personal
injury and wrongful
death lawsuits. Our personal injury attorneys
| lawyers are committed to providing the very best representation
and support possible for our clients. This website provides information
on the legal rights of the injured and the latest news on product
defects and related lawsuits. |
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is not affiliated in any way with any trademark owner. The use of
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About Lieff Cabraser: We have
offices in San Francisco, New York and Nashville. Our lawyers have
represented clients in personal injury, wrongful death and
rollover crashes and product defect lawsuits across America, including
residents of Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California,
Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho,
Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland,
Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North
Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada,
New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South
Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin,
West Virginia and Wyoming.
Among the cases our personal injury
attorneys are prosecuting are the Medtronic heart lead recall, the
AMO contact lens solution recall, the Peter Pan peanut butter recall, Guidant
pacemaker defects, SUV
rollover accidents, popcorn
workers lung injuries, and Ford
switch fires.
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| Copyright © 2008 Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP |
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