Tips to Avoid BPA Exposure
Posted by easy eco blog
Avoiding the chemical BPA is much harder than we expected. Those with young children and infants need to be concerned even more.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a January 2010 update on Bisphenol A that says it many not be safe for children and infants. In its report on BPA, the National Toxicology Program expressed “some concern for effects on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and children at current human exposures to bisphenol A.” It appears that young children have immature immune systems that may not detoxify BPA as well as adults.
If you are feeding an infant formula, make sure you are buying BPA-free product. Look carefully at the label and call the company to verify.
Environmental Working Group has a guide to avoiding BPA Exposure.
Some interesting tidbits:
“FDA estimates that babies have 12.5 times more BPA exposure than adults, and EWG is concerned that FDA has seriously under-estimates exposures for many babies. Recent tests by Environmental Working Group and the Canadian government, and a 1990s test by FDA show BPA leaching from metal cans into all brands of liquid formula. Powdered formula appears to be BPA-free, therefore EWG recommends that parents choose powdered formula if your baby tolerates it.”
“Almost all canned foods sold in the United States have a BPA-based epoxy liner that leaches BPA into the food. EWG tested 97 canned foods and found detectable levels of BPA in more than half of the foods. The highest concentrations were in canned meats, pasta and soups.”
“Less BPA leaches from plastic water bottles and food containers than found in canned foods and baby formula. Nevertheless it is good to take simple precautions to reduce your exposure.”
Plenty states that microwaving items causing BPA exposure situation is even worse. – “Some of the products would be expected to contain BPA, such as a Rubbermaid Premier container with a #7 recycling code, which includes polycarbonate plastic, known to be made with BPA. But to everyone’s surprise (including ours), BPA was also found to leach from containers with recycling #s 1, 2 and 5.”
Related posts:
- BPA in Canned and Packaged Foods
- BPA Human Study
- Toxic Chemicals in Umbilical Cord Blood
- BPA – bisphenol-A Controversy
- BPA from Water Bottles
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2 Responses to “Tips to Avoid BPA Exposure”
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May 3rd, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Keep food of your granite countertop as well. Almost all granite resins and adhesives have large amounts of BPA in the hardner. Some of the sealers contain BPA and even worse chemmicals. Of course the granite itself is packed with heavy metals, tens of thousands of parts per million in some cases. Thallium is of special concern, so don’t roll dough, cool cookies, or cut up food on that granite top.
November 25th, 2009 at 12:02 am
[...] have covered the BPA controversy in the past and recommended people avoid certain canned and packaged foods to help limit exposure. [...]