Friday, May 30, 2008

U.S. food company says BPA-free cans possible

May. 29 2008
CTV.ca News Staff

Bisphenol A is found in cans that contain many popular foods, including tomato paste and soup, but one company has been using BPA-free cans for almost a decade.

Eden Foods, a natural and organic food company based in Michigan, sells most of its canned food, except the highly acidic tomato products, in BPA-free cans. For now, the company is keeping its tomato products in cans with BPA because their shelf life would be drastically reduced without the chemical. The company's juices are sold in glass bottles. "We badgered our canned suppliers to come up with an alternative and one of them said they would accommodate us with a bisphenol A-free lining," said Eden Foods President Michael Potter. "They ended up with all our business. I did it because I didn't want to be in the loop of providing this contaminant, this toxin, to my children." Potter said most canned-good manufacturers should have no trouble following his company's lead, given that a 15-ounce BPA-free can costs only 2.2 cents more.

BPA is found in everyday items, including stereo equipment, some car parts, hard plastic food containers and beverage containers and the linings of food cans. During the manufacturing process, food is put into cans and then heated at high temperatures to kill bacteria. Scientists say that this is when BPA can leach out of the lining and into food.

A joint study conducted by CTV News and The Globe and Mail showed that trace amounts of BPA can be found in cans that contain popular foods such as soup and vegetables.

While baby bottles leach about 6 parts per billion of BPA, the exclusive tests of food cans showed:

* A can of children's ravioli leached 6 parts per billion.
* A can of peas and carrots leached 7 parts per billion.
* A can of tomato juice leached 14 parts per billion.

READ FULL STORY HERE

1 comment:

Transcription Medical said...

I don't like bpa free cans..
Well thanks for the post..