diacetyl

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A chemical that gives food a buttery taste but can harm lungs if breathed in

noun
/ˌdaɪəˈsɪtəl/

Specialized

: diacetilo

Workers in in these plants that were creating these bags of popcorn that have, you know, the diacetyl buttery flavoring.

Examples

Concerns have been raised about diacetyl, a chemical flavoring linked to respiratory issues in workers exposed to it.
And one of those things that's in there that's really fortuitous is this molecule diacetyl, which is a very characteristic note in dairy products.
During the Bush years, there was growing evidence that diacetyl, an artificial flavoring used in making popcorn and other food, was causing severe lung illness among workers exposed to it.

Blog text (3)
Diacetyl is a key ingredient that gives many types of popcorn their diacetyl flavor.
The buttery taste in some margarines comes from an infusion of diacetyl, enhancing their flavor profile.

Surface Forms

diacetyl singular

diacetyls plural

Morphology

diacetyl = acetyl (transparent) = di + acetyl

Formed by productive chemical prefix 'di-' (two) + base 'acetyl', yielding the sense 'containing two acetyl groups', which follows standard chemical naming rules.

Etymology

Diacetyl comes from di- meaning 'two' and acetyl, a part that comes from a word for 'vinegar', like the 'acetic' in 'acetic acid'. So diacetyl literally names a molecule with two acetyl parts, which helps explain why it is used for a strong buttery flavor and why it can be harmful if breathed in.