Many theaters have switched to healthier cooking oils since the Great Popcorn Scare this spring. And popcorn sales are bouncing back.
So say execs with several of the nation's top theater chains.
In April the Center for Science in the Public Interest revealed that movie popcorn is often cooked in cholesterol-raising coconut oil, high in saturated fat.
"Sales dropped immediately . . . but they have almost climbed up to the levels we expect," says Marc Pascucci, of Sony Theatres, formerly Loews.
Since the report came out, theater chains have been scrambling to come up with healthier alternatives:
Cineplex Odeon conducted a customer taste test to figure out which oil customers preferred, and moviegoers chose corn oil. The chain is in the process of switching from coconut to corn oil, which is much lower in saturated fat. Cineplex Odeon is also offering lightly seasoned air-popped corn, Minute Maid juices and frozen yogurt bars.
AMC switched from coconut oil to partially hydrogenated canola oil but is looking at canola oil and air popping, both considered healthier. "We're not absolutely certain that our current solution is going to be the long-term solution," says Marc Merry of AMC.
Sony Theatres is cooking popcorn in canola oil. "People like the flavor," says Pascucci. The chain has been giving away popcorn to woo customers back.
United Artists, the nation's largest chain, is still popping corn in coconut oil, but is also offering air-popped corn with no added salt or oil.
Several chains, including Cineplex Odeon and United Artists, have hired laboratories to do nutrient analyses on their products and will be offering the information to customers.
Says Jayne Hurley of the Center for Science in the Public Interest: "The bottom line is this: People need to ask what is being served. If the theaters have switched to a heart-healthy oil - great. If not, they need to make an oil change."
Rating the good, the bad, the fatty
Confused at the concession stand? Nutritionist Jayne Hurley's movie popcorn ratings, from best to worst health-wise:
G: Air-popped popcorn, plain or lightly seasoned.
PG: Popcorn cooked in liquid oils like canola or corn oil. "It's still high in fat but at least it won't clog your arteries," she says.
R: Popcorn popped in hydrogenated oil like canola, "because it's got more saturated fat than the liquid oils."
XXX: Popcorn popped in coconut oil. "It's worse than any other oil."
