Man who developed 'popcorn lung' after years of eating microwave popcorn was awarded $7.2m

A man who developed a ‘popcorn lung’ after years of eating microwave popcorn was awarded $7.2 million.

This has sparked a response on social media with one person taking to Reddit to write: “TIL a man who developed 'popcorn lung' after years of inhaling the smell of artificial butter flavoring from daily consumption of microwave popcorn sued Gilster-Mary Lee Corp. and King Soopers for failing to warn on labels that the flavoring diacetyl was dangerous. In 2012, he was awarded $7,217,961.”

Another said: “He was also inhaling super heated popcorn dust and oil droplets twice a day for 10 years.”

And a third person added: “I used to work in an office where my cube was near the breakroom and every time someone burned popcorn in the microwave, I would end up going home with a migraine.”

A man was awarded $7.2 million (boonchai wedmakawand/Getty Images)

The man in question is Wayne Watson whose love of popcorn turned into a serious condition after he developed ‘popcorn lung’ in 2007, which is a rare, chronic, and irreversible lung disease caused by the scarring of the small airways.

Watson had spent the last 10 years eating two bags of popcorn a day and it is possible that he developed the condition by inhaling the smell of the artificial butter every day.

In 2012, the man was awarded $7.2 million in compensation after winning a case against Gilster-Mary Lee Corp., The Kroger Co. and Dillon Companies Inc., for his condition.

Speaking to ABC News at the time, Watson said: “I probably look like a fairly healthy guy but I only have, on a good day, about 53% lung capacity.”

Diacetyl is the artificial flavoring that is used to make popcorn taste like butter, with ‘popcorn lung’ usually developing in plant workers who are exposed to high amounts of diacetyl.

The condition came after years of inhaling the smell of artificial butter flavoring (FreshSplash/Getty Images)

Watson continued: “They thought that no consumer would ever be exposed to enough of it to make a difference well they rolled the dice and they lost.”

Glister-Mary Lee released a statement saying that it was disappointed by the decision and was ‘evaluating next steps’, going on to say that the firm has provided ‘safe, quality microwave popcorn for two decades’.

After winning the cash from the popcorn maker, Watson revealed that he intended to donate some of it to charity, and clarified that he would not be spending it on microwave popcorn.