Beware of some canned foods
BPA stands for bisphenol A-based epoxy coating and is used to line cans because what cans are made from can leach into your food.
The North American Metal Packaging Alliance currently estimates that 75 percent of canned foods sold in the US are lined with BPA.
BPA is a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to breast cancer, reproductive damage, developmental problems, heart disease and other illnesses. In research studies, everyone tested for BPA in their bodies showed they had measurable concentrations.
Not only is it found in can linings, but in other plastic products as well, such as baby bottles and water bottles. Nevada has established BPA limits on the sale and distribution of one-time use food containers, including cans of infant formula or baby food.
The Environmental Working Group conducted a comprehensive survey of the American canned food marketplace and found that some canned food suppliers are BPA-free, but many are not—even those that made promises to be BPA-free.
Many countries have banned or limited the use of BPA in packaging that comes into direct contact with food.
252 brands were surveyed by EWG between January and August 2014. Of that 252 surveyed, it was found that:
• 31 brands (12 percent) used BPA-free cans for all canned products
• 34 brands (14 percent) used BPA-free cans for one or more of their canned products
• 78 brands (31 percent) used BPA-lined cans for all products
• 43 percent of all brands gave ambiguous or incomplete answers to questions
Unfortunately, the companies that said they had eliminated BPA or were in the process did not disclose what they were substituting it with.
We do not have clear national standards, so companies can define BPA-free any way they want. That means you cannot rely on the government to ensure that BPA is replaced with chemicals that are safer.
The following companies have voluntarily eliminated BPA linings in their cans:
Amy’s Kitchen, Inc., Annie’s Inc. Euro-USA Trading Co., Inc. (Bionaturae), Farmer’s Market Foods, Inc., Juanita’s Foods, King Oscar AS, Lucini Italia Company, Raincoast Trading Company, Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc., The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (Bearitos, Earth’s Best Organic, Gluten Free Café, Health Valley, Health Valley Organic, Imagine, Walnut Acres, Westbrae Natural), Tyson Foods, Inc.
There are companies that are using BPA-free cans for some of its products.
That would be ConAgra Foods, who said they use it in only one of its 13 brands. Hunt’s and Del Monte Foods, Inc did say they used BPA-free cans for some products in its College Inn, Contadina and S&W lines; and General Mills reported using BPA-free cans for Muir Glen brand only.
The worst offenders that use it exclusively are Hormel Foods Corp., which have seven brands and 50 percent stake in another four brands, and all five of Pinnacle Foods Group including Armour, Brooks, Duncan Hines, Comstock, Duncan Hines Wilderness and Nalley.
The 78 products in the worst players category are: A Taste of Thai Coconut Milk, Lindsay Olives, Bookbinders Specialties, Bruce’s Casa Fiesta, Bush’s, Cento, Chincoteague Seafood Brand, Gordon’s Chesapeake Natural, Maiz Gallego, Dinty Moore, Hormel, Hormel Chili, Peloponnese, Span, Stagg Chili, Valley Fresh, Lucky Leaf, Musselman’s, Bar Harbor, Mario, Simply Asia, Thai Kitchen, Chi-Chi’s, Embasa, Herdez, La Victoria, Early California, Pearls, White hours Foods, Carnation, Libby’s Pumpkin, Ocean Sptray, Oregon Specialty Fruit, Andersen’s, Armour, Brooks, Duncan Hines Comstock, Duncan Hines Wilderness, Nalley, Rao’s Homemade, Red Gold, Red Pack, Sacramento, Tuttorusso, Solo Foods, Market Pantry, Eagle Brand, Magnolia, PET, Clear Value, Dining Out, Food Club, Full Circle, Valu Time, World Classics.
You can help yourself by substituting fresh, frozen or dried food for canned; purchasing food in alternative packaging, such as glass; rinsing fruits and vegetables in water to help lower the level of BPA in the can.
Be sure to do your research and take action. You can contact companies and ask about BPAs and encourage them to u