That can of cooking spray sitting in your pantry might look innocent enough. You spray it on your pan, watch your eggs slide around effortlessly, and think nothing more of it. Yet what if I told you that some of these convenient little cans have been at the center of serious safety concerns and even pulled from circulation? The reality behind cooking sprays is more complex than most people realize, involving chemical propellants, controversial ingredients, and even explosive incidents that have landed people in hospitals with severe burns.
PAM Cooking Spray with U-Vent Design
Between 2016 and early 2019, Conagra manufactured certain aerosol cans of PAM with U-shaped vents at the bottom designed to open and release pressure when overheated, but lawsuits claimed the vents could open during storage and common use, emitting flammable propellants like propane and butane. Eight plaintiffs filed lawsuits alleging that exploding cans of cooking spray caused severe injuries, including third-degree burns, disfigurement and even blindness, with cans reportedly exploding or erupting as users were cooking.
In November 2023, a Pennsylvania woman named Tammy Reese was awarded $7.1 million by an Illinois jury after claiming a can of Swell brand cooking spray exploded into a fireball, giving her deep second-degree burns to her hands, arms, face and head. This wasn’t just a freak accident. As of late September 2019, a total of 33 lawsuits had been filed against the company, all alleging that the U-shaped vent system made the cans prone to exploding. Conagra changed the design of its larger cans in early 2019 to eliminate the U-vents, though the company stated the switch was not because of faulty design but simply to standardize can designs. The company has steadfastly refused to initiate a nationwide recall so potentially defective cans still sitting on store shelves might be removed, meaning the likelihood of additional incidents remains high.
Wellsley Farms Cooking Spray
Store brands manufactured by Conagra named in lawsuits include Sysco, Wellsley Farms, and Members Mark. Wellsley Farms, sold at BJ’s Wholesale Club, used the same problematic U-vent design that caused the PAM explosions. Plaintiffs who filed lawsuits against Conagra claimed that exploding cans sold under the brand names Pam, Wellsley Farms and Sysco caused severe injuries.
The real kicker? Plaintiffs asked for a recall as U-vent cans were still being sold at big box stores like BJ’s Wholesale Club and Walmart, with Conagra reportedly aware of the potential dangers yet the U-vented canister was discontinued as of January 1 without issuing a recall of canisters with long shelf lives. The U-shaped vent system was reportedly used on a limited number of larger cans of 10 ounces or higher, primarily those designed for restaurant use, appearing under different store-brand labels. The fact that these cans were marketed under store names meant many consumers had no idea they were essentially buying the same potentially hazardous product.
Member’s Mark Cooking Spray
One lawsuit was filed by a man who claimed he was burned while using a Member’s Mark cooking spray he bought at Sam’s Wholesale. Member’s Mark is Sam’s Club’s store brand, and like the other Conagra products, it featured the same flawed U-vent design that turned these cans into potential kitchen hazards.
Y’Tesia Taylor of Greenville, Texas suffered burns, scarring, disfigurement, blindness in her right eye, lung damage, and lost her job as a hotel night manager due to her scars after putting a can of PAM on a rolling wooden cart adjacent to the stove, then the canister suddenly began spraying extremely flammable contents through the u-shaped vents and exploded. She wasn’t even using the spray when it exploded. It was simply stored near the stove, something millions of people do every single day without thinking twice about it. According to one woman’s lawyer, the cooking spray was being stored on a shelf around 18 inches above a stove, and it is normal for users to place canisters of cooking spray similarly close to a stove or heat source.
Swell Brand Cooking Spray
The Swell brand cooking spray case became one of the most high-profile examples of just how dangerous these products could be. The woman reportedly continues to experience scar tissue constricting her movement six years after the accident. Her life was permanently altered by what should have been a routine moment in the kitchen.
Chicago-based Conagra manufactured canisters from 2011 to 2019 featuring U-shaped vents designed to open upon the can buckling, and lawsuits allege these canisters are defective and capable of venting flammable propellants at temperatures lower than Conagra’s performance standards allow. The pattern was clear. These weren’t isolated incidents of user error or misuse. CHEMAXX, a chemical accident reconstruction service, reports that it has been demonstrated in cooking simulations that aerosol spray cans are venting prematurely at lower temperatures and pressures than intended, with contents released being highly flammable and causing cooking fires and serious burns. Independent testing proved what victims had been saying all along.
The Diacetyl Danger
Studies have shown that exposure to diacetyl, the butter flavoring often added to cooking sprays, can increase your risk of lung disease, and with long-term or repeated exposure can cause serious respiratory disease. This isn’t theoretical concern. In 2012, a man named Wayne Watson was awarded US$7.27 million in damages from a federal jury in Denver after being a regular microwavable popcorn consumer for years, as the jury considered his lung disease was caused by diacetyl and that the manufacturer and grocery store should have warned him.
The medical community has long agreed that diacetyl exposure is incredibly dangerous for lung health, with long-term consumption associated with chronic lung disease, and considering how common and deadly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is, you should not need any other reasons to avoid this flavoring. While many cooking spray manufacturers no longer use this chemical, researchers are still concerned about the risk of lung disease. The fact that it took lawsuits and public outcry to get manufacturers to even consider removing it tells you everything you need to know about corporate priorities.
The Hidden Propellant Problem Nobody Talks About
Here’s something that might shock you: the actual spray mechanism in these cans could be just as problematic as the ingredients themselves. Most cooking sprays use propellants like propane, butane, or isobutane to create that fine mist we all love. While these are generally recognized as safe for consumption in small amounts, the issue is that when you spray these products, you’re inhaling them directly into your lungs before they ever hit your pan. Think about it – every time you spray your skillet, you’re breathing in a cocktail of aerosolized oils and petroleum-based gases. The FDA regulates these propellants for food contact, sure, but they weren’t exactly designed with inhalation in mind. What makes this even more concerning is that many people use cooking sprays in poorly ventilated kitchens, meaning those particles linger in the air long after you’ve finished cooking. Some health experts now recommend using a simple oil mister or brush instead, which gives you control over both the ingredients and how they’re applied without turning your kitchen into an aerosol zone.
