Warning issued on canned food BPA

November 4, 2009 -- Seven-billion pounds of the chemical Bisphenol A, or BPA, are produced every year and used in all sorts of products  including clear plastic bottles and food-can liners.

Due to growing health concerns, BPA has been restricted in some states and in Canada, too. And while there are no federal restrictions on BPA in food packaging, the government has set a guideline for safe exposure. But Consumer Reports says it's not strong enough  and in fact, it's calling for a ban on BPA in food packaging.

When expectant mom Leslie Schoemann eats canned soup, she suspects it might not be the healthiest lunch. But she doesn't expect it to pose a health risk to her or her family.

"I've sometimes thought, you know, 'I'm not giving the most nutritious meal to my child.' I never thought that anything to do with the packaging or the can would be what was harmful to them," said Schoemann.

As the issue of BPA safety is hotly debated, consumers like Schoemann are left without clear answers. Just what is a safe level of BPA to ingest?

"There are more recent studies, showing that exposure to low doses of BPA are associated with a wide range of adverse health effects, including various cancers, diabetes, and heart disease," said Schoemann.

Consumer Reports tested a variety of foods for BPA  three samples of 24 different products  mostly canned. Included were ones from Campbell's, Del Monte, Green Giant, Hormel, Progresso and others.

Outside lab tests found many of the samples contained BPA levels that were higher, often much higher, than the level Consumer Reports' experts believe could pose a safety risk  especially to children and developing fetuses.

"It's important to note, levels of BPA can vary significantly  even in the products we tested," said Urvashi Rangan. "Our tests were a small snapshot of the marketplace, so you can't draw conclusions about any one type of product or any particular brand. But there are things you can do that may help minimize exposure."

Ideally, choose fresh food over canned whenever possible. And for products children drink a lot of, consider alternatives, such as powdered infant formulas and bottled or boxed juice.

Schoemann says she'll make what she sees as small changes, hoping to reduce her family's risk big time.

The Food and Drug Administration is re-assessing the safety of BPA and is expected to announce the results of that review by the end of November.

Meanwhile, the food industry has been waging a fight against BPA regulations and is backed up by the American Chemistry Council, which claims scientific evidence clearly supports the safety of BPA.

Consumer Reports disagrees, saying BPA use should be banned from any packaging that comes in contact with food.

All Consumer Reports Material Copyright 2008. Consumers Union of U.S. Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Consumer Reports is a not for profit organization which accepts no advertising. It has no commercial relationship with any advertiser or sponsor on this site. For more information visit consumerreports.org.

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