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BPA just won’t go away. It has been found on everything from receipts [2] to dollar bills [3]. In a new report by the Breast Cancer Fund dangerous levels of the toxic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) were found in a wide variety of canned foods specifically marketed towards kids. Some of the highest levels were found in Campbell’s Disney Princess and Toy Story soups. A child-sized serving of these soups could result in high levels of BPA exposure. There were even “healthy” companies on the list of BPA laden products- Annies Homegrown and Earths Best Organic.
How are these companies still making products with BPA? Maybe I’m naive-but I’m having a difficult time understanding how BPA is still around. This is not a new topic. It’s one that we’ve been talking about for a long time [4] and the dangers are known and documented.
According to the Breast Cancer Fund-
Exposure to BPA, used to make the epoxy-resin linings of metal food cans, has been linked in lab studies to breast and prostate cancer, infertility, early puberty in girls, type-2 diabetes, obesity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Childhood exposure is of concern because this endocrine-disrupting chemical can affect children’s hormonal systems during development and set the stage for later‐life diseases.
The president and CEO of the Breast Cancer Fund, Jeanne Rizzo says “There should be no place for toxic chemicals linked to breast cancer and other serious health problems in our children’s food. We hope this report will shine a spotlight on this issue and encourage companies to seek safer alternatives to BPA.”
I don’t know about you, but I’m angry.
What can you do?
Don’t buy from the companies that continue to use BPA in their canned goods.
Here are the products that tested positive for BPA
- Annie’s Homegrown Cheesy Ravioli
- Campbell’s Disney Princess Cool Shapes, Shaped Pasta with Chicken in Chicken Broth
- Campbell’s Spaghettios with Meatballs
- Campbell’s Toy Story Fun Shapes, Shaped Pasta with Chicken in Chicken Broth
- Chef Boyardee Whole Grain Pasta, Mini ABC’s & 123’s with Meatballs
- Earth’s Best Organic Elmo Noodlemania Soup
Take action.
- Join the “Cans Not Cancer” campaign launched by The Breast Cancer Fund urging manufacturers to replace BPA with safer alternatives.
- Join Moms Rising [5] and tell Campbell Soup Company, Con Agra (maker of Chef Boyardee), Annie’s Homegrown and Hain Celestial (maker of Earth’s Best) to stop marketing BPA to kids.
Find alternatives to canned goods.
Avoid canned foods altogether. Join a CSA [6]and enjoy local, seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables. Use dry beans and pasta-it may take a little longer to prepare, but it’s worth it!
There is no excuse for this. BPA doesn’t belong anywhere near our food. Please take the time to tell these companies that we are not OK with this. It won’t take long and it will make a difference.
Can you think of any other ways to avoid BPA in canned products?
[Photo source/Breast Cancer Fund]