Pass the… BPA??

Hi everyone! I know that many of you are already preparing for your Thanksgiving feast with friends and family. I wanted to warn you about an unwelcomed visitor to your Thanksgiving meal; BPA. BPA stands for Bisphenol-A  and is a known endocrine disruptor which can potentially contribute to breast cancer.

BPA is not only present in many #7 plastics including water bottles, baby bottles, and dishware but it is also in canned foods! The Breast Cancer Fund has continuously taken part in researching BPA levels in cans. Some of you may be wondering “where the heck could BPA be hiding in my canned food?” It’s actually in the protective lining between the food and the can itself. Most cans (over 80%) use an epoxy resin lining that contains BPA.

Some common canned goods that you use on Thanksgiving include Cream of Mushroom soup, turkey gravy, evaporated milk, sweet corn, green beans, and pumpkin. The Breast Cancer Fund tested specific brands of each of these common canned items finding that BPA leached into these foods (results of this test can be found on http://www.breastcancerfund.org/big-picture-solutions/make-our-products-safe/cans-not-cancer/bpa-thanksgiving-food.html).

So now I’m guessing many of you are starting to worry that there are no alternatives for these staple canned goods used regularly, however there are some companies that don’t use that epoxy resin lining in their cans. One of these companies is Eden’s foods. Eden’s uses a lining made of oleoresinous c-enamel instead. Another alternative is to buy soups and other products that come in new packaging called Tetra Paks. Tetra Paks look like a box that can contain solid or liquid foods. One company that offers organic soups and even jellied cranberry sauce is Pacific.

There are also great recipes that can be found on the Breast Cancer Fund’s website, like Pumpkin Pie. Have a great Thanksgiving holiday with your friends and family! Be thankful that you now know how to protect yourself, friends, and family members from BPA in canned goods.