The latest tests for BPA levels in canned foods are very unsettling. BPA, if you remember, is a chemical that mimics estrogen in the body, causing numerous health problems. It is used extensively in the plastics industry. In the food industry, BPA is used in the lining of food and drink cans (including soda!). Alarmingly, cancer and infertility have both been linked with BPA.
The National Workgroup for Safe Markets has recently reported that canned foods, many of which are labeled “organic”, were found to have an average of 77 parts per billion (ppb) of BPA, almost 5 times higher than what the FDA found testing BPA levels in canned food back in 1996. 92% of the samples tested contained measurable levels of BPA.
The report, aptly titled No Silver Lining, found no link between the age of the product and BPA levels. Moreover, price, quality, or nutrition value of the product had absolutely no bearing in the levels of BPA detected. Therefore, organic canned foods were found to be just as likely to be loaded with BPA as cheap nonorganic ones.
This report puts additional pressure on manufacturers who must step up efforts to hasten implementation of alternatives to canning, such as glass jars. In the meantime, consumers beware. Canned foods need to be avoided even more urgently than we thought. I will be switching away from canned coconut milk immediately. I have already switched to a brand of organic tomato products which use glass jars instead of cans.
Please comment with any brands you know of that are utilizing alternative packaging to cans. BPA has shown itself to be a chemical that we cannot take any chances with in any amount.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Great Info to have, I'm switching to products in glass containers 🙁
Thanks for a lovely, informative post to let people be aware of the danger of BPA. I really hope more people will be aware of the danger of BPA. It's also widely used in baby bottles. I think the best and safe food is to prepare food from its natural state. I have not used canned food for a long time except coconut milk on very rare occasions. Usually I use the powder form. Back home in Malaysia we use pure fresh coconut cream.
As for chick peas, I always soak it overnight and then boil them in the pressure cooker the next day. It tastes soft and very delicious and would be great for making hummus though I love it as a snack with a little sprinkle of sea salt. Hope this helps. Have a lovely weekend. Mary
I just read one of the above articles and it looks like Native Forest Coconut milk is BPA free.
Is coconut milk available BPA free? I have just increased the amount of time I spend on my treadmill and I have not tested it yet, but it does seem like I may be losing more weight because of the coconut milk.
Oh NO!
I have always just got coconut milk and chickpeas in cans. The reason being- I can't find a source for organic coconuts and even though I soak for 24 hours and then simmer the chickpeas for 8 hours they still don't taste right in hummus? I don't know why- I don't mind doing the work but if I then make the recipe and the family won't eat it well grrrr…..
I live in Canada… is there such a thing as chick peas in glass?
Thanks!
http://www.healthcastle.com/BPA_free_can.shtml
A few BPA free tuna suggestions.
Also a warning on some that claim BPA free and are not.
Hi Karen, my tomato paste and pizza sauce are in glass jars (Bionaturae). More expensive than the canned alternatives, but am excited by the comment that Muir Glen is going BPA free as I really like their pizza sauce but it is in a can.
I just read today that Muir Glenis going BPA-free: http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2010/04/19/general-mills-pull-bpa-organic-tomato-cans
Eden Organic is BPA-free, albeit pricey.
Aren't there some brands of tuna that come in pouches? Sorry, I'm not a tuna eater.
Sarah….I use spaghetti sauce out of a glass jar but where do you get other tomato products that aren't in cans?
There are some tunas that come in pouches. Sadly, the pouches are lined with…you guessed it…BPA!
There’s also some fancy Italian and Spanish tuna that comes in jars. Molto expensivo, unfortunately.
Anyone got an alternative to canned tuna?
I realize this is an old post, but in case you have not received a reply to this yet I buy Wild Planet canned tuna. The can is marked as “certifiec BPA free”. Since they are a brand I trust i trust this claim also.
The only thing about buying something that is “BPA free” is it could be loaded with BPA’s sister ingredient: BPS.
Darned if you do and darned if you don’t!
both fresh & canned fish are loaded with mercury