The Associated Press
The Environmental Protection Agency is studying the chemicals released into the air when a bag of microwave popcorn is popped or opened.
Exposure to vapors from butter flavoring in microwave popcorn has been linked to a rare lung disease contracted by factory workers in Missouri, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has said it suspects the chemical diacetyl caused the illnesses.
However, health officials insist people who microwave popcorn and eat it at home are not in danger.
In the first direct study of chemicals contained in one of the nation's most popular snack foods, the EPA's Indoor Environment Management Branch at Research Triangle Park, N.C., is examining the type and amount of chemicals emitted from microwave popcorn bags.
Further research would be needed to determine any health effects of those chemicals and whether consumers are at risk, said Jacky Rosati, an EPA scientist involved in the study.
Once we know what chemicals are and the amounts, somebody else can look at the health effects, Rosati said Wednesday.
Workers sickened
About 50 brands, batches and flavors of microwave popcorn" from super-buttery to sugary sweet kettle corn" are being tested, she said.
Obviously, we are looking at diacetyl because it is a known compound that will come off this popcorn. But we're not looking at that alone, Rosati said.
Source Link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4505650/
Gazz
Dude, person for person Scotland has contributed more to the field of technology outside any other (outside this system it would probably be US or Japan), of course almost all of us have mobile phones and yes we are well aware of the scare 
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