Looks like microwave popcorn bags still contained high levels of PFOA as of 2006, though I wasn't able to find a more recent reliable source. "Consumption of just 10 bags of microwave popcorn a year could contribute about 20%
of the average blood PFOA levels, say the scientists interviewed anonymously for this article." PDF: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/es062599u
You can easily cook popcorn on a stove top. Pour some popcorn and oil in a pot, once is starts sizzling shake a bit, once it starts poping shake a lot. Take it off when the pops slow to about once a second and pour into a bowl. Add salt as desired.
Heat the oil sufficiently before adding kernels. Drop a few kernels into the oil as a gauge. When two of them have popped then you can pour in the rest and give it a vigorous shake.
And for the sake of completeness, be sure the pot has a lid!
So much better. It also lets you imitate movie theater flavors if that’s your thing, with refined coconut oil and some Flavocol. As a bonus you can find the kind of popping corn you prefer. For me, I love the smaller “hullless” varieties, they’re sweet and you don’t get stuff in your teeth.
"Microwave Susceptor". Its a super thin layer of aluminum or graphite that absorbs microwaves and gets really hot. Its in the bottom layer of the bag and the reason for "this side up".
Wow, I assumed similarly - that there's something in the bag that helps the air inside heat up. I guess maybe moisture in the corns is enough. I learned something new and useful today, thanks!
Guess how early (70s) microwave cookbooks told you how to make popcorn, before Orville Redinbacher got involved. Yet my wife, same age I am and read the same cookbooks, buys pre-packaged unflavored microwave popcorn from the store. </shrug>
I've used hot-air popcorn poppers for decades. They draw a lot of power (they're pretty similar to hair-dyers, electrically speaking), but they work well.
In January 2016, the FDA finally banned the Teflon-like, grease-resistant chemical that's been linked to various cancers, infertility, thyroid issues, and birth defects from being used in food packaging: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). That was great news since a study by the FDA found that up to 20 percent of PFOA levels in our bodies can come from consuming a mere 10 bags of popcorn a year. Unfortunately, the FDA has already approved nearly 100 PFOA-like compounds for use in food packaging—a majority of which have little to no information regarding long-term health consequences, according to the Environmental Working Group. So, although all of the bags listed below are PFOA-free, there is little evidence to support (or deny) that PFOA substitutes are safe to be in contact with your food. Ah, the joys of food manufacturing.