Man Awarded $25M After Getting Lung Disease from Popular Cooking Spray

A Los Angeles man just won a staggering $25 million after a jury found that a popular kitchen staple may have left him with a devastating and irreversible lung disease.

Roland Esparza, 58, was awarded the massive payout after a Los Angeles Superior Court jury ruled that Conagra failed to properly warn consumers about the dangers of inhaling fumes from its butter-flavored PAM cooking spray. The product once contained diacetyl — a chemical linked to a serious respiratory condition known as bronchiolitis obliterans, more commonly called “popcorn lung.”

Esparza filed his lawsuit in 2022, claiming years of exposure to the spray caused his diagnosis. According to his attorney, Jacob Plattenberger, Esparza had used PAM daily since the 1990s, believing it was a healthier alternative to oils and butter.

“He was a big health nut, bodybuilder, martial artist,” Plattenberger told the Chicago Tribune. “He was eating a lot of protein, eating a lot of eggs, and he cooked everything on his stove top. And so he was using it multiple times a day.”

Bronchiolitis obliterans is a rare, progressive lung disease that permanently damages the small airways, making it increasingly difficult to breathe. The nickname “popcorn lung” dates back to microwave popcorn factory workers in the Midwest who developed the illness after inhaling butter-flavored vapors during manufacturing.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no cure. While some symptoms like coughing may improve after exposure ends, the damage itself is irreversible. Many patients ultimately require lung transplants.

Esparza is now hoping to be placed on the transplant list for a double lung transplant — but his legal team says time is not on his side.

“Our client’s a really good guy who didn’t do anything wrong and got a raw deal,” Plattenberger said. “Nothing will give him his health back, and even if he gets the transplant, it’s not a great life, but it will give him a few more years.”

Conagra pushed back against the verdict. In a statement, the company said it strongly disagrees with the jury’s decision and plans to appeal.

“PAM Butter Flavor cooking spray is safe and has been diacetyl-free for nearly two decades,” the company said. “We intend to pursue all available legal avenues to contest the verdict.”

Although there have been previous lawsuits tied to microwave popcorn factories and diacetyl exposure, Esparza’s attorney said this marks the first successful verdict involving the chemical in a cooking spray product.

For one longtime home cook who thought he was making healthier choices, the courtroom victory comes with a painful reality: no amount of money can restore the lungs he once had.