BPA in Canned and Packaged Foods

We have covered the BPA controversy in the past and recommended people avoid certain canned and packaged foods to help limit exposure. Consumerreports.org has an article that finds BPA in soups, juice, and more.  The upshot is to eat more fresh food, use alternatives to canned items, and to use glass containers when heating food in microwaves.

“ Federal guidelines currently put the daily upper limit of safe exposure at 50 micrograms of BPA per kilogram of body weight. But that level is based on experiments done in the 1980s rather than hundreds of more recent animal and laboratory studies indicating serious health risks could result from much lower doses of BPA. Several animal studies show adverse effects, such as abnormal reproductive development, at exposures of 2.4 micrograms of BPA per kilogram of body weight per day. Our food-safety scientists recommend limiting daily exposure to one-thousandth of that level, or 0.0024 micrograms per kilogram of body weight, following established practices to ensure an adequate margin of safety. “

“The highest levels of BPA in our tests were found in the canned green beans and canned soup. In Progresso Vegetable Soup, the levels of BPA ranged from 67 to 134 ppb. In Campbell’s Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup, the levels of BPA ranged from 54.5 to 102 ppb. Canned Del Monte Fresh Cut Green Beans Blue Lake had BPA levels ranging from 35.9 ppb to 191 ppb, the highest amount for a single sample in our test. Since we didn’t test other canned green beans or soups, we don’t know if this is typical of those products.”

“A 165-pound adult eating one serving of canned green beans from our sample, which averaged 123.5 ppb, could ingest about 0.2 micrograms of BPA per kilogram of body weight per day, about 80 times higher than our experts’ recommended daily upper limit. And children eating multiple servings per day of canned foods with BPA levels comparable to the ones we found in some tested products could get a dose of BPA approaching levels that have caused adverse effects in several animal studies.”

“Given the significance of BPA exposure for infants and young children, we tested samples of Similac Advance Infant Formula and Nestlé Juicy Juice All Natural 100% Apple Juice. Samples of the Similac liquid concentrate in a can averaged 9 ppb of BPA, but there was no measurable level in the powdered version. Samples of the Nestlé Juicy Juice in a can averaged 9.7 ppb BPA, but there were no measurable levels in the samples of the same product packaged in juice boxes.”

The conclusion is that BPA is present in many canned foods and beverages due to epoxy based can liners.  Plastic containers or bags are a better bet. Plastic containers with metal peel back lids may have the same expoxy based liners.

“The samples of Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli in Tomato and Meat Sauce packaged in a plastic container with a metal peel-off lid had BPA levels 1.5 times higher than the same brand of food in metal cans. Our test of the metal peel-back lid revealed that the inner coating is epoxy-based.”

Here is another site that says that Consumer Reports’ study has errors.

Best Deal Magazine has 1yr subscriptions to Consumer Reports at $23.95 – 15% off coupon code: PXCJ1115 Exp 11/15 = $20.35.

Related posts:

1. Tips to Avoid BPA Exposure
2. BPA Human Study
3. BPA – bisphenol-A Controversy
4. BPA Free Water Bottle
5. Toxic Chemicals in Umbilical Cord Blood

Posted on November 25th, 2009
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