A few months ago, I blogged about how organic canned food is loaded with bisphenol-A (BPA) just the same as cheap canned foods from the supermarket. Why do we want to avoid BPA? This chemical is an estrogen mimicker which wreaks havoc on our hormones and is one of the prime suspects in the ever plummeting age at which young girls are going into puberty.
I read an article recently that as many as 10 in 100 white girls, 15 in 100 Hispanic girls, and 25 in 100 African American girls are experiencing breast development as early as 7 years old!
This is a shocking and serious problem not only because of the adult issues it forces upon mere children but also because of the fact that the earlier a girl goes into puberty, the higher her chances of breast cancer later in life.
BPA also harms boys by increasing the chances for ADHD, urogenital abnormalities, prostate problems, and lower semen quality as adults.
BPA is also linked with the obesity epidemic, Type 2 diabetes. The list goes on …..
Parents simply MUST take steps to protect their children from this chemical onslaught by choosing foods that will not disrupt the delicate hormonal balance during their formative years!
Which Organic Canned Foods are BPA Free?
The good news is that some organic canned food companies are switching to BPA free cans.
In one of my cooking e-classes last month, I mentioned Muir Glen as one of the companies that currently had BPA free cans.
Well, I stand corrected.
While Muir Glen is planning to transition to BPA free cans in the near future, its current can liner is not BPA free.
According to the company, Muir Glen cans have a 2 1/2 year shelf life so it “may be a while” before the BPA free cans are on the shelf.
Customer care representative Alexandria Richards claims that the new liner is “safe” and the new cans will be recyclable.
The company also states that the BPA free can labels will not mention that the can liner is BPA free.
This seems like a really dumb marketing move to me. BPA is a big issue for health conscious consumers. Wouldn’t it be smart for an organic foods company that makes the move to BPA free cans to TRUMPET this info on the label?
Since there is no firm date for release of the new Muir Glen cans and the BPA free cans won’t be acknowledged on the label, it seems to me that a switch to another organic food company that uses BPA free cans is wise.
In my shopping, I have switched to Eden Organics for the canned foods I do buy (which isn’t many). Eden Organics has been using a BPA free liner since 1999.
Don’t you just love a company like Eden Organics that makes the switch to BPA free cans just because it is the right thing to do and long before consumer pressure forces its hand which is how all the other organic canned food producers are behaving (yes, I’m talking about you Muir Glen)?
The steel cans used to package Eden Organics products are lined with a baked-on c-enamel that is made of a non-toxic mixture of an oil and a resin from plants such as pine or balsam fir. The downside is that products in BPA free cans cost more, so not only will the consumer have to pay more for the organic food inside of the can, but also more for the can itself!
ALL Organic Canned Tomato Products Still Use BPA
Please note that ALL organic canned tomato products, even Eden Organics, are still packaged in BPA cans. This is because the FDA has not approved a BPA free can for acidic foods as of yet although I am told that this process is in the works.
So for now, consumers must choose tomato products that are packaged in glass to avoid BPA. I’ve been using the brand Bionaturae for this very reason.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
* This post is shared at Real Food Wednesday and Pennywise Platter.
In the reading that I have done about BPA and canned foods, it says that they are allowed to say they are 'BPA Free' and still have what they call trace amounts in the cans. I no longer buy any canned foods.
Robin, I buy Bionaturae organic strained tomatoes, in a 24 ounce glass jar, for $2.99 at Whole Foods. This is actually cheaper than the Pomi, because of the larger size.
I do not buy tubes or cartons because I am concerned about what they are lined with. I just do not know, and it could be BOA or Nanites. The last time I bought tomato paste in a tube, the rube was lined with what appeared to be aluminum foil.I don't want that to leech into my food either.
I also have been buying Pomi brand tomatoes, as they are packed in boxes. They're not organic, but from what I understand, tomatoes don't have a huge pesticide load compared to other items, so I'd rather go with something that's BPA free. I love the idea of buying them in glass containers, but the price difference is just ridiculous-about $8 for a jar compared to $2.50 for a box of the Pomi, so that's what I use.
For tomato paste, you can buy it in tubes rather than cans, and I actually much prefer buying it that way anyway, as you can just use as much as you need and store it in the fridge (rather than opening up a whole can and having some go bad).
I just love your blog! This is the first kind of blog I have seen like this. We can lots of food too. I ordered the Tattler canning jar lids too. Bet they were happy about you mentioning it.
Sarah, I think nanites are the wave of the future, and it scares the heck out of me. Since Muir Glen was owned by the Campbell Soup company last time I checked, I would not be surprised.
Beth, I am so grateful to you for sharing the information about the canning lids. We make our own broths, salsas, sauerkraut, pickles, etc. and store them in Mason jars. Part of the reason was to avoid BPA. Shocking to learn that we are using lids coated with BPA, as I learned from your comment.
Thank you for the tip about TATTLER. I called them and they said their product does not contain PVCs or Dioxins. I will be ordering those tops today.
Grateful to you.
I have been using the Pomi tomatoes. They come in chopped and strained varieties and are in a carton. I think they are BPA free. My Publix store carries them, as does World Market and Fresh Market.
bethany
Wow, I have so much to learn! We have also gotten away from canned foods, and our pantry is the emptier for it- NOW, I just need a bigger freezer! Since we live far from any good groceries, I end up freezing a lot of what I buy. Thanks for all the new info, guys!!
Stanley, that is very concerning about the nanites. Perhaps that is why I got such a vague answer from Muir Glen about the new liner technology (are we just jumping from the BPA frying pan into the nanite fire, so to speak?)
Beth, thank for for this valuable info for home canners. Very important stuff as more people go back to the old ways as Big Food has proved itself to be untrustworty and unreliable in this area.
Ball and Kerr canning jar lids are lined with BPA. I wrote to them to ask if and when they will make them without BPA and got no reply. Here's their website for others who may wish to voice concern:
http://www.freshpreserving.com
A call to Leifheit yesterday revealed that their canning lids also contain BPA in "trace" amounts. They're working on a BPA-free lid in the future. I think they fit wide mouth mason jars.
There IS a lid maker called TATTLER that has BPA-free lids that fit standard mason jars (regular and wide mouth), and, get this, they're re-usable with a lifetime guarantee. I don't know what they're made out of and would be interested to know if they are PVC-free dioxin-free, another serious concern.
Here's their website:
http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/
Tattler sells them online in bulk (starting at 3 dozen for $21-$24), and they may also be purchased from a couple of retailers listed on their site.
Opinions differ on the extent to which BPA leaches into food if the food doesn't touch the lid. For me, I'd rather take out the guesswork and forgo it completely.
-Beth
I am very concerned that they will use nanites to replace BPA.
Nanites are tiny particles of various substances, such as silver iodide, nickel,etc, that are used to preserve food and increase shelf life. These tiny particles preserve food by killing bacteria,good and bad. Nobody knows what they will do to a human body. There is concern that these tiny particles could penetrate the cells of hunam organs and damage them, not to mention killing off beneficial bacteria in our bodies.
There is no labeling requirement for nanites. The government is allowing us to be guinea pigs once again. Nanites are already widely used in food packadging.
I will buy nothing that is packed in anything but glass. That way, I can avoid BPA and nanites, and any other hidden technologies used by the packadged food industry.