BPA Found In Canned Foods

stevendepolo's Flickr photostream/Creative Commons

New research from Consumer Reports reveals that many canned foods, including soups, juice and vegetables, contain measurable levels of Bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical that has been linked to a wide array of health issues such as reproductive abnormalities, cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Here at TakePart we've discussed the dangers of BPA extensively, and hopefully this frightening new report will encourage the FDA to set stricter safety standards for BPA levels and ultimately strengthen efforts to ban BPA in materials that come into contact with food.

While I don't think there's a need panic about the stacks of cans in your pantry, I would recommend following Consumer Report's advice on reducing your dietary intake of BPA by choosing fresh foods whenever possible, and seeking alternatives for packaging, storing and heating food such as glass.  And also keep in mind that the study found that even canned foods labeled "organic " and even "BPA-free"  still had trace amounts of BPA.

Civil Eats provides a great analysis of the BPA situation, and shares these words of caution from Dr. Urvashi Rangan, Director of Technical Policy, at Consumers Union:

Children eating multiple servings per day of canned foods with BPA levels comparable to the ones we found in some tested products could get a dose of BPA near levels that have caused adverse effects in several animal studies. The lack of any safety margin between the levels that cause harm in animals and those that people could potentially ingest from canned foods has been inadequately addressed by the FDA to date.

Many companies in the food industry are of course fighting back against proposals to ban BPA, but I think the call to action has already been sounded and with continued pressure from consumers and proposed bills currently moving through Congress, we will hopefully see the elimination of BPA use soon.  Alternatives can certainly be found, and there is no need to continually put consumers health at risk.  Use the act section below to find out what you can do to help.