Butter flavourings are used worldwide in a huge number of products and applications to supplement, improve or create rich buttery taste experiences. Diacetyl is one of the chemicals commonly used in these flavourings.
This chemical is naturally found in low concentration in apples, artichokes, beans, butter, coffee, dairy, fruits, honey, tobacco and vinegar. However, it can be dangerous in specific circumstances.
TasteTech has made the decision to remove diacetyl from our new flavourings for the safety of our staff and customers. But why have we made this decision and what are the dangers?
What is diacetyl?
Diacetyl is an organic compound with the chemical formula C4H6O2. It is a yellow or green liquid with an intensely buttery flavour. Diacetyl is a natural by-product of fermenting beer, created when glucose is converted to ethanol by yeast.
Diacetyl has been used for many years to flavour products such as breads, dairy-free spreads and most infamously, popcorn. In the USA, the chemical is closely associated with a condition known as ‘popcorn lung’.
What are the dangers?
Bronchiolitis obliterans, also known as constrictive bronchiolitis, is a rare condition that causes inflammation of the smallest airways in the lungs (bronchioles). Symptoms include a dry cough, shortness of breath, wheezing and feeling tired. The disease is non-reversible, but treatments can reduce further damage.
The condition is known as ‘popcorn lung’ in the US, as several cases were diagnosed in workers making microwavable popcorn in a factory in Missouri. The workers were heating butter flavourings containing diacetyl, which released the fumes.
To be clear, TasteTech has only ever used diacetyl in our flavourings at low levels. For most processes, they present a low risk when handling, and for consumers they pose no risk at all. Our staff use PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) when handling diacetyl. However, this doesn’t change the fact that the chemical does produce fumes that are linked with a very serious disease.
What is TasteTech doing?
TasteTech have decided to reduce our employees’ exposure to diacetyl. In order to do this, we have removed the chemical from all new products, which has the added benefit for our customers that their employees’ exposure will also be reduced.
Where we have created new diacetyl-free versions of our flavourings, we are confident that the replacement flavourings have no discernible flavour difference.
TasteTech will continue to make products that contain diacetyl for customers who are already purchasing these flavours. This means that customers are not required to replace any flavourings that they are currently using.
If you have any questions about this policy, please get in touch.
For more information on our range of flavourings, click here.
