An article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association led to widespread reports yesterday that canned soup may present a potential BPA risk to consumers.
You’re probably already familiar with BPA. It’s the chemical used in the production of plastics that we parents are encouraged to avoid when choosing bottles and feeding equipment for our babies.
That’s because BPA (or bisphenol A) is recognized as being potentially harmful, particularly to babies and young children. Its use in the manufacture of babies’ feeding equipment is already banned in most countries, but it is still used in the lining of cans to prevent rusting.
There is a possibility the the BPA in cans can leach into the food and then be consumed, increasing BPA levels in the body. Yesterday’s reports, including this one from the BBC, indicated that the amounts of BPA detected in the urine of those who had consumed canned soup were alarmingly high.
Whilst this research looked at canned soup, it’s important to realize that other canned foods may also contain BPA.
The good news is that not all can manufacturers use BPA – the bad news is that it’s not always easy to tell which cans contain it and which don’t.
The safest option is to contact manufacturers directly and ask the question – if enough of us take that approach, then perhaps manufacturers may decide against using this chemical in their cans at all.
References:
Journal of the American Medical Association
National Institute of Environmental Health Services: Since You Asked – Bisphenol A (BPA)
For more information about using canned food in your baby food recipes visit: