CBC News has reported that Bisphenol-A (BPA) can still be found in two thirds of the canned foods on store shelves throughout Canada and the USA. Although scientific reviews continue to cite its dangers, the regulatory bodies worldwide have not caught up to the science and still insist that BPA is safe. Health Canada in 2014 stated that exposure to BPA through food packaging “is not expected to pose a health risk to the general population, including newborns and infants.” Yet Health Canada and the U.S. FDA have banned the use of BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups due to the uncertainty of their safety for infants and children.
BPA is thought to be a hormone mimicker, and if it leaches into our food, it could lead to serious illness such as cancer, asthma and infertility. In spite of reports, such as this, and promises made by large manufacturers to stop using BPA, a report released last week by six non-profit organizations that tested nearly 200 food can linings “found that 129 of them still contained BPA in the packaging. All 15 of the Campbell Soup cans tested contained BPA. It was also found in cans used by Nestle, Del Monte, McCormick & Company and General Mills, including the brand Progresso,” according to Fortune and saferchemicals.org.
Fortune also noted that brands such as Amy’s Kitchen, Annie’s Homegrown, Hain Celestial and ConAgra have fully transitioned away from the use of BPA and have disclosed what alternatives they use today.
