BPA in canned food

[DaisyMay]

So I've read about traces of BPA being found in lots of different types of canned food (BPA being used in the plastic liner to the can that helps preserve the food, I believe) - I've found chopped tomatoes and beans in cartons (tetra pack style, cardboard and foil lined I'm guessing) does anyone know if this is likely to have any BPA containing plastic in it? I know that the levels in canned food are supposedly safe, but would rather not take the risk and wonder if switching to cartons is a feasible alternative.

[SophieAnn]

Where have you read that BPA was found in the food?

I have read that BPA is used in the can lining, and I have read a study that heated water in an emptied can, finding that BPA was found in the water. Since I don't heat the food while it's still in the can, this study was of no concern to me, IMO.

I haven't seen any studies that actually tested the food emptied from the can. Would be interested to read, if you can share links.

[DaisyMay]

It seems that all these links (below) refer back to the same initial study - I don't really know how the amounts measured compare to levels considered "safe", but it seems that levels are much higher than previously thought and I figure if it's avoidable, none is better than any!

http://www.familyhealthguide.co.uk/f...p-cancer-risk/

http://www.healthnews.com/nutrition-...-not-4256.html

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/m...henol-a-ov.htm

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/ne...-people-to-bpa

[Ruthla]

The food in the cans is heated as part of the canning process.

I usually buy dried beans and cook them myself.

I wish I could find tomato paste in glass jars, but the only kind of tomato I can find in glass is ready-made tomato sauce, with sugar, oils, etc added. I like using tomato paste so I can fully control the ingredients in the final sauce.

[SophieAnn]

DaisyMay - thanks for those links - I am now reading the original study referenced. That's the first study I've seen that actually tested the food, not the lining or water that was heated in a can.

Ruthla - I think that tomato paste can be found in tubes (like anchovy paste) that are the size/shape of toothpaste tubes. It might be significantly more expensive though.

[jcr92901]

OK I obsessed about this a few months back and found great alternatives....

Tomato sauce and paste in jars-
http://www.bionaturae.com/tomato.html

Eden Organics uses BPA free lining for all their canned goods except tomatoes so those are the only canned beans I buy now.

[velochic]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

I wish I could find tomato paste in glass jars, but the only kind of tomato I can find in glass is ready-made tomato sauce, with sugar, oils, etc added. I like using tomato paste so I can fully control the ingredients in the final sauce.

My dh is from Turkey, so we buy Turkish groceries online. Turkish tomato paste comes in glass jars and is super yummy because it's double (or maybe even triple) concentrated. It tastes SO much better than american tomato paste. Here's a link to one of many Turkish brands from the grocery where we buy most of our items: http://www.tulumba.com/storeitem.asp?ic=FB249420BB401 I think I usually buy Mis, but all of them are equally good.

ETA: These are huge jars (24+ ounces) for a great price.

[tifpaul]

Here is more information about BPA in food packaging.  They tested the urine samples of a family on their normal diet, and then again after providing a catered whole foods diet where the food was stored in stainless steel and glass.  There was a significant difference.  And the change happened immediately when the family changed their diet.

BPA Research

The research was funded by the Silent Spring Institute and the Breast Cancer Fund.

[Llyra]

Originally Posted by Ruthla 

The food in the cans is heated as part of the canning process.

Yeah, once the can is sealed it's brought to a high temperature to preserve the food that's inside. So even though the consumer doesn't heat the can, the can gets heated.

I'm curious about the tubes-- wouldn't they have BPA content as well? What are the linings of those things made of?

I deal with this by not buying canned stuff. I make my own tomato paste in the summer, and can it in jars myself. My lids do have BPA, but the paste doesn't contact the lids during heating, so this strikes me as a better solution. It is enormously time-consuming, though, and depends on there being a GLUT of cheap or free tomatoes (I grow paste tomatoes myself, so I have TONS.)

[JudiAU]

Not all canned foods have BPA lining. EDEN Organics developed their own process to avoid BPA linings. Trader Joes's doesn't have BPA linings in its canned beans (probably canned by Eden.)

The lid of many jarred foods (like baby food, yuck) is also lined with BPA. But the leaching is less because of less contact with food.

[ammiga]

Originally Posted by JudiAU 

Not all canned foods have BPA lining. EDEN Organics developed their own process to avoid BPA linings. Trader Joes's doesn't have BPA linings in its canned beans (probably canned by Eden.)

The lid of many jarred foods (like baby food, yuck) is also lined with BPA. But the leaching is less because of less contact with food.

Do you have a link for this? I've never heard that TJ canned beans are in bpa-free cans.

[sammymama]

I got curious and started googling; here is an article that says TJ's uses BPA-free cans for only some of it's products:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/03/7-bpa-free-canned-foods.php

This is such a good thread, but also makes me sigh.  I just got through de-plastic-ing our kitchen and it felt like a little victory.  This plastic battle sometimes feels never-ending!

Off to research more...

[Katc8910]

However, the new Eden lining now contains vinyl - this is according to their own newsletter.  I don't want BPA, but I definitely don't want vinyl touching my food!

[neptunemama]

TJ's beans are in BPA free cans. Not all of their products in cans are in BPA free cans though.  

I don't know about others, but no one in my family likes Eden's beans.  They put kombu seaweed in their cannellini and garbanzo beans and the taste really fouls up the beans for us.  No matter how much I rinse the beans the taste lingers.  I wish more companies would put their products in BPA free cans.  If TJ's and Eden can do it, then others can too.  

I have found beans in glass jars, which are awesome.  Annalisa is the brand, and they have several types of beans in glass.  However, either they are very popular, or hard to get from the manufacturer, b/c often the stores in my area are out of our fave type of beans (garbanzo and cannellini)  in the glass.