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Major food companies are still coating the lining of their metal food cans with Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical that has been linked to serious health problems like cancer, infertility and obesity, according to a new study.
The study, conducted by a group of nonprofit organizations including the Breast Cancer Fund and Ecology Center, tested nearly 200 cans from food giants such as Campbell Soup Company, Del Monte and General Mills. Two out of three cans had the additive in their lining, according to the authors.
All of the 15 Campbell Soup cans tested contained BPA, while more than half of the Del Monte and General Mills cans tested positive for the chemical. BPA was also found in the majority of private-label canned goods tested at national grocery chains Kroger and Albertsons, and at big box retailers such as Target and Walmart.
BPA has been used commercially since the 1960s to harden the plastic in bottles and to act as a protective layer between food and the metal found in cans. The chemical can sometimes leach into food, and can be absorbed when that food is consumed. In a 2004 study, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found BPA traces in the urine of nearly all participants – some were as young as six.
However, the effects of even low doses of BPA have been disputed for years. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) maintains that the amount that passes into our food is safe at current levels. However, some studies have shown BPA to mimic the hormone estrogen, which can be harmful to the female reproductive system and affect brain development in young children. The chemical has also been linked to a host of other illnesses and disorders including breast cancer, heart disease, adult obesity and behavioral problems in children.
Concerns over the potential health risks of BPA have led governments and companies to limit the use of the additive in food products and packaging. In 2013, the FDA banned the chemical from baby bottles and infant food packaging, but insisted the decision was not based on safety concerns. Large food companies have also faced pressure from consumers and advocacy groups to make the switch to BPA-free cans.
The authors of this latest report say big brands and grocery, retail and dollar stores should eliminate BPA from all of their packaging, and clearly label any substitute chemicals used.
This week, food giants Campbell Soup and Del Monte heeded the call. Both companies announced they would be shifting away from BPA packaging. Campbell Soup said it would eliminate BPA in the linings of all of its cans by the middle of 2017. The company said it started using alternative linings made from acrylic and polyester in March, and it was on track to have 75% of its soups in BPA-free cans by the end of the year. The change will apply to all its soups and gravies, SpaghettiOs pasta and Swanson broth.
“Our priority throughout this transition has been, and will continue to be, food safety,” Mike Mulshine, senior program manager of packaging, said in a statement. “We have tested and conducted trials with hundreds of alternatives to BPA lining and believe the acrylic and polyester options will ensure our food remains safe, affordable and tastes great.”
Del Monte said it would be switching to BPA-free lining in all of its fruit and tomato products and the majority of its vegetable items. The food manufacturer, whose ready-to-eat fruit cups are a popular school lunchbox snack, said it planned to start changing the lining in May and complete the conversion by October.
Both companies said they were responding to consumer demand for safer products.
The report also highlighted companies such as ConAgra, Amy’s Kitchen and Hain Celestial Group that have successfully transitioned away from BPA, and have disclosed the BPA alternatives they are using. Whole Foods was lauded as an industry leader for its policy not to accept any new canned items containing BPA.
But BPA alternatives aren’t necessarily a safer option. Studies have shown that BPS, a common replacement for BPA, could have similar negative effects on reproductive function and fetal brain development. The report found traces of potentially harmful substances in up to 50% of BPA-free cans tested, including PVC-based lining, which the authors called a “regrettable substitute” for BPA because it contains “highly hazardous chemicals” such as vinyl chloride, which some groups have said is dangerous to human health.
Tensie Whelan, director of New York University’s Center for Sustainable Business, said that while companies should be applauded for switching to BPA-free lining in their cans, they need to make sure they aren’t swapping out one potentially dangerous chemical for another.
“It’ll be critical that they publicly and transparently disclose the substitutes they use and work with scientists, government and civil society to ensure those alternatives are safe as well,” she said.
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Food companies move away from potentially toxic chemicals in cans
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