Iowa Judge Upholds Defense Verdict in Consumer Diacetyl Exposure Case

SIOUX CITY, Iowa — A federal judge in Iowa refused to grant a new trial in a breach of warranty case against companies accused of manufacturing diacetyl-containing butter flavorings that allegedly caused “popcorn lung” in a plaintiff who consumed the product for years.

In an Oct. 23 decision, Judge Mark W. Bennett ruled that testimony weighed by the jury, including evidence that the plaintiffs’ condition was caused by an autoimmune disorder, was correctly admitted and that there exists no reason for disturbing the resulting verdict in favor of the defendants.

David and Barbara Stults filed the lawsuit against several …