Diacetyl is an artificial ingredient used to produce the buttery flavor and smell in microwave popcorn, margarine, candy, baked goods, and is even in unsalted butter. It is listed on ingredient labels as "artificial flavor". It is used by companies since it is cheaper than natural flavorings or real butter.
Products made with diacetyl, when heated in a skillet release the chemical into the air and can cause a fatal respiratory illness when breathed in over time. As if that weren't bad enough, Diacetyl when ingested, crosses the blood-brain barrier and makes beta-amyloid proteins. These amaloid plaques are the cause of Alzheimer's disease in the brain. It also interferes with glyoxalase I, a protein that protects nerve cells.
This petition seeks to compel the President of the United States and the FDA to remove Diacetyl from the list of GRAS chemicals. It further seeks to reduce or eliminate the use of Diaceyl in human or animal food products. Its reduction or elimination is more than justified by the emotional and monetary cost of Alzheimers treatment and care in the US.
