Is there BPA in your canned food?

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When some consumers learned that polycarbonate plastic water bottles might leach bisphenol-A (BPA), a controversial chemical that interferes with the female hormone estrogen, they chose to buy bottles that do not contain the controversial chemical. BPA has been linked to a long list of health concerns including early onset of puberty, neurotoxicity, and some cancers.

Just as consumers have gotten comfortable with their new water bottles, they are faced with another potentially confusing decision. What to do about recent reports that show varying levels of BPA in canned foods.

Consumers Union tested 19-name brand canned soups, tuna, vegetables, and other foods as well as noncanned versions. They found that almost all of the foods they tested from manufacturers such as Campbell's, Chef Boyardee, Del Monte, Nestle, Progresso, and others contained some BPA. The highest levels were found in canned green beans and soup.

How much BPA is unsafe? It depends on whom you ask. Industry groups say the levels of BPA found in food are completely safe. Consumers Union and other groups say that the levels are high enough to cause concern given recent animal and human studies. The FDA is in the process of reevaluating BPA because a number of groups have criticized them for relying on outdated industry studies, says Sarah Janssen at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

In the Consumers Union tests, BPA levels varied widely depending on the product so there is no way for consumers to know how much they are ingesting. Buying canned organic brands or choosing canned products that are labeled BPA-free is no guarantee. Consumers Union found that canned organic foods didn't always have lower BPA levels than nonorganic brands and the chemical was present in some canned products that were labeled BPA-free.

So what can you do? While we wait for the federal agencies to catch up with the current science it makes sense to limit your exposure to BPA, says Janssen.

Here are some suggestions:

• Choose fresh fruit and vegetables whenever you can.
• When you have to buy packaged, choose frozen over canned.
• Pick juice boxes over canned juice.
• Choose soups in boxes over cans.
• Buy powdered formula and mix it yourself instead of buying ready-made formula in cans.
• Cut back on soda and other carbonated beverages. Drink beer from glass bottles instead cans.
• Try to avoid microwaving foods in plastic containers when you can. Glass containers are a safer alternative.

Environmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! Green's users. Send Lori a question or suggestion for potential use in a future column. Her book, Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life is available on Yahoo! Shopping and Amazon.com.

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