November 10, 2013

Good luck getting the trans fat out of microwave popcorn.

If the FDA proposal goes through. It's not easy.

"We've mastered it, and I'm not going to tell you how we did it," says a spokesperson for Orville Redenbacher (AKA ConAgra.) It took them 4 years "a lot of money." So... another win for Orville, that crafty geezer.

24 comments:

Sorun said...

A cheaper solution would be to hire Obama to claim there are no trans fats in your brand of popcorn. It wouldn't be fraud if he said it.

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

Why would anyone microwave popcorn at home when its so easy to make? I assume there's a logical reason since almost everybody buys microwave.

Freeman Hunt said...

Coconut oil?

Anonymous said...

Hey, we already banned trans-fats along with GMO's, light bulbs and bad attitudes from my space-shared 300 sq ft shipping container/eco-box.

Bloomberg and de Blasio approved. We're stacking them together in an urban core of multiracial rooftop-gardens.

Save the trees, save the bees, save the whales, save those snails!

Ann Althouse said...

"Why would anyone microwave popcorn at home when its so easy to make? I assume there's a logical reason since almost everybody buys microwave."

One reason would be that you don't have a stove, only a microwave. Another is you can maybe trust kids to do it and there's nothing to wash afterwards.

And some people are into the horrific flavorings.

The Godfather said...

This talk about banning trans-fats (whatever they are) got me thinking about quitting smoking. I quit when I was 40 years old, after smoking for most of the preceding quarter century. I did so because I was convinced that it was bad for me. Part of what persuaded me was the Surgeon General's report on smoking (which had come out almost 20 years before -- I don't make hasty decisions). Today, the government has condemned as unhealthy or otherwise bad so many things -- and then sometimes changed its mind -- that these condemnations no longer have much credibility. That's why, I guess, they now have to prohibit, rather than just condemn, something to have any effect.

I wonder: If I were still a smoker, is there anything that the government could say that would persuade me to quit?

Joe said...

I predict now--so remember--that within ten years it will be shown that trans fats aren't a health problem and the hysteria was much ado about nothing.



Joe said...

And, BTW, I don't like homemade popcorn. It usually ends up burnt and tasting like Styrofoam.

Rusty said...

Smells like........................facsim.
With just a hint of cinnamon.

jr565 said...

If it takes that much effort to remove trans fat, maybe suggesting that restaurants remove trans fat involves govt demanding things that realistically can't be done without extreme costs.
Maybe if the costs are too high govt should instead say "if you eat popcorn you will be eating trans fat so be warned".
And let people make the choice.

jr565 said...

If it takes that much effort to remove trans fat, maybe suggesting that restaurants remove trans fat involves govt demanding things that realistically can't be done without extreme costs.
Maybe if the costs are too high govt should instead say "if you eat popcorn you will be eating trans fat so be warned".
And let people make the choice.

Kelly said...

I'm with Joe, I always burn the popcorn, even the microwave kind. If I want popcorn I go to the theater. Luckily I seldom want popcorn.

jr565 said...

I have an older pop corn maker that made great popcorn. Put in some butter and... delicious. Did it have trans fats? Apparently.
But how often was I eating popcorn? Not every day. So if I got fatter over the years I'd be hard pressed to blame it on popcorn.

jr565 said...

Trying to remove trans fats is a lot like trying to convert lead to gold. Alchemical magic. Just tell people to not eat popcorn every single day and the effects of the trans fats wont be so apparent.

Anonymous said...

I Thought We Were Supposed to Be Accepting of Trans-Gendered Fat People.

Anonymous said...

A: Jackie Gleason Playing Billiards on Blueberry Hill Without a Penis?

Q: What is Minnesota Trans Fats Domino?

Hagar said...

Styrofoam is a lot like Obamaworld is made of.

Rusty said...

jr565 said...
Trying to remove trans fats is a lot like trying to convert lead to gold. Alchemical magic. Just tell people to not eat popcorn every single day and the effects of the trans fats wont be so apparent.

Why get the government involved at all? What business is it of theirs what you choose to eat?

Kirk Parker said...

jr565,

"Put in some butter and... delicious. Did it have trans fats? Apparently. [emphasis added]

No what's apparent is you don't know this subject. "Trans fats" are a result of/congener with "partially hydrogenated vegetable oils". Butter has no trans fat.

MayBee said...

You would think our country is all out of problems if trans fats are the focus of their energies.

Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...

Why would anyone microwave popcorn at home when its so easy to make?

Redenbacher has his brand on a dry microwave popcorn cooker that works with a paper-metal laminate conductive disc in the bottom.

We also had a hot air popper that worked - like a high power hair dryer powering a fluid bed furnace.

Both put out a product with the texture and feel of shaved tree bark, but not as much taste. Salt won't stick to it.

As to the usual popcorn-and-gunk packets sold for microwaving, I'll pass. The tree bark has better flavor.

MadisonMan said...

The smell of microwaved popcorn turns my stomach.

Dad always made popcorn on the stove, using corn oil. Delicious with salt.

Peter said...

Microwave popcorn seems the least of it.

How do you make margarine without trans fats? After all, hydrogenation is what converts the liquid fats into semi-solids, but also what converts them to trans fats.

What about peanut butter? Do we go back to the "natural" style, with oils that separate from the solids- and if so, will kids eat it?

ken in tx said...

I used to pop corn on the stove using bacon grease. Bacon makes everything better.

I dropped popcorn because of the carbs.

Trans-fats were invented as a healthier substitute for butter and lard.

giver it a few years and they will change it back.