Despite the push to remove bisphenol A from food packaging, the industrial chemical is still present in an 鈥渁larming鈥� number of food can linings and lids, according to a new report.
The report, titled 鈥淏uyer Beware,鈥� was prepared by six environmental and health groups in North America, including Breast Cancer Fund, Campaign for Healthier Solutions, and the Environmental Defence in Canada.
The groups analyzed the interior coatings and lids of 192 cans containing vegetables, fruits, soups, broth, gravy, milk or beans, and found that 129 of them, or 67 per cent, contained BPA-based epoxy in the body and/or the lid.
The cans were collected in 19 U.S. states and Ontario. Among the report鈥檚 findings:
- All Campbell鈥檚 cans (15 out of 15) contained BPA-based epoxy
- 10 out of 14 Del Monte cans tested positive for BPA-based epoxy resins.
- 18 out of 21 cans tested in Ontario (including cans from Loblaws, Walmart and FreshCo) had BPA in their linings
- 4 out of 5 private-label cans from Loblaws in Ontario tested positive for BPA-based epoxy resins
BPA is a chemical used to make some plastics as well as which are commonly used on the interior of food cans.
Several studies have suggested that BPA can mimic the hormone estrogen and possibly affect the in infants and children. Research has also suggested links between BPA and cancer and childhood obesity.
But the North American Metal Packaging Alliance, which represents the food and beverage packaging industry, says the 鈥淏uyer Beware鈥� report 鈥渇ails to address the critical issue of food safety and consumer protection.鈥�
鈥淓poxy linings have provided a near perfect food protection system for close to 40 years,鈥� the alliance said in a statement to 麻豆影视.
鈥淎ccording to the U.S. FDA, there has not been a reported case of food borne illness from the failure of metal packaging in close to 40 years, or the equivalent of trillions and trillions of canned foods sold.
鈥淔urther, the report entirely ignores Health Canada's most recent safety assessment of BPA, which found current dietary exposure to BPA poses no risk to the general population, including newborns and young children."
Health Canada provides
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also says that BPA is
But because of uncertainty raised in some studies over BPA鈥檚 impact on the health of infants and children, both Health Canada and the FDA have banned the use of the chemical in baby bottles.
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in the U.S. says as well as food storage containers and water bottles.
鈥淭he degree to which BPA leaches from polycarbonate bottles into liquid may depend more on the temperature of the liquid or bottle, than the age of the container,鈥� the NIH says.
In recent years, there has been a push to remove BPA from all plastics, cans, toys and other items. But the 鈥淏uyer Beware鈥� report says that large grocery retailers in the U.S., including Walmart and Target, are not acting fast enough -- or at all.
And while some retailers, like Safeway and Whole Foods, have made progress in reducing BPA levels in cans, 鈥渘o retailer has a policy in place to completely eliminate BPA in all of its canned food,鈥� the report says.
鈥淲e would like to see stronger language and stronger action from companies to make sure they are getting rid of BPA,鈥� Maggie MacDonald, the toxic program manager at Environmental Defence, told 麻豆影视.
She said the goal of the BPA report is not to scare consumers, but to provide them with information that can help them make better food choices.
How companies are responding to concerns
Some food companies are taking action. Del Monte, which started switching to non-BPA linings for some of its canned food products in 2009, has said that all of its fruit and tomato products, as well as 鈥渘early 100 per cent鈥� of its vegetable products, will also make the transition, starting with a new production this May.
that it will transition to cans without BPA linings by the middle of 2017.
The company said it began using cans with linings made from acrylic or polyester materials in March 2016 鈥渁nd will continue to introduce the new linings across its U.S. and Canadian portfolio through 2017.鈥�
MacDonald said Environmental Defence is 鈥渢hrilled鈥� by Campbell鈥檚 announcement.
鈥淭his is major,鈥� she said. 鈥淎 lot of people have Campbell's cans in their cupboards right now. So if Campbell鈥檚 is phasing it out, it's great news for consumers everywhere.鈥�
In response to the 鈥淏uyer Beware鈥� report, Loblaw said the company 鈥渉as been a leader in addressing ingredients of concern in our products, including recent commitments on triclosan, pthalates and micro beads.
鈥淪pecific to BPA, we have altered products and packaging over the past few years with a primary focus on food for infants,鈥� the company said in a statement to CTVNews.ca.
鈥淭he safety of the food and products we sell to Canadians is of the utmost importance to us and to that end this work continues.鈥�
In a statement, Food and Consumer Products of Canada said its members take the BPA issue 鈥渧ery seriously鈥� and that safety is 鈥減aramount.鈥�
鈥淐anada's current regulatory system for BPA is one of the most stringent in the world,鈥� the organization鈥檚 vice-president of safety and compliance, Susan Abel, said.
鈥淏PA is also a highly tested substance and at current levels of exposure governments globally continue to recognize its current use in can linings as safe. We rely on the sound science conducted at Health Canada to inform our decisions on the selection of safe materials."
The 鈥淏uyer Beware鈥� report makes a number of recommendations aimed at grocery stores, big-box retailers and dollar stores, including that they commit to eliminating and safely substituting BPA from all food packaging, as well as label all chemicals used in can liners, including BPA or BPA alternatives.
The report also notes that products labelled 鈥淏PA-free鈥� are not necessarily safe,
With a report from CTV鈥檚 medical specialist Avis Favaro and producer Elizabeth St. Philip
