Stop smelling your buttered popcorn!

It's so difficult not to inhale that freshly popped buttery flavored popcorn but please restrain yourself from burying your face in it.

Scientists at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) found that a significant concentration of diacetyl, a compound found in artificial butter flavoring could be harmful to lungs when inhaled.

In their study, laboratory mice that inhaled diacetyl vapors for 3 months developed a precursor to the rare lung disease obliterative brochiolitis - also called popcorn lung disease, which has been detected last year in workers at microwave popcorn packaging plants and at least one consumer.

Microwave popcorn makers ConAgra Foods and Weaver Popcorn announced last year that they have already stopped using diacetyl.

NIEHS said more studies need to be done because of the anatomical differences of mice and humans.