The Liners In Canned Goods Contain BPA... An Endocrine Disruptor

May 18, 2010
BPA present in most canned food, groups allege
Posted: 01:51 PM ET
By Caleb Hellerman
Senior Producer, CNN Medical News

The chemical bisphenol-A, more commonly known as BPA, is present in virtually all canned foods, according to a report released today by environmental groups who say the omnipresent chemical poses a health risk, especially to infants and pregnant women. BPA is present in the thin plastic lining that protects the surface of metal food containers. A coalition calling itself “The National Workgroup for Safe Markets” conducted laboratory tests on 50 samples of canned food, purchased in stores or donated from home pantries in 19 U.S. states and Canada. Of the 50, 46 contained at least some BPA. The median level was 35 parts per billion, but some food had much more, as high as 1,140 parts per billion in a can of Del Monte green beans.

Bisphenol-A is what is known as an endocrine disruptor, meaning it has the potential to affect the hormones – chemical signals – that direct a range of processes in the body. In animal studies, researchers have linked BPA to various developmental problems, from behavior issues to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Whether BPA is harmful to humans is unclear. Back in 1963, the FDA declared it safe, but more recently, there’s been a scientific reappraisal. The National Toxicology Program now says there is "some concern" for BPA's effects on the brain, behavior and prostate gland, in developing fetuses, infants and children. In January, the FDA posted guidelines urging parents to minimize infants’ exposure through bottles and feeding cups, but it stopped short of saying there is a definite risk of harm.

Pete Myers, a biologist who has studied the effects of BPA, says the level of in baby bottles that triggered alarm, was less than 30 parts per billion, lower than the numbers reported Tuesday about canned food. Myers is chief scientist at the privately-funded group Environmental Health Sciences, based in Charlottesville, Virginia, and has written several articles critical of BPA, including an editorial in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The Environmental Protection Agency has also taken steps toward further study and possible restrictions of BPA, although the process is still under review. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is funding $30 million worth of research on BPA, with the first round of findings expected as early as this summer, Myers said.

Myers says that research on animals, and other research involving human cell tissue, show that BPA may suppress the production of a hormone – adiponectin – that protects against heart disease. His biggest worry involves a pregnant woman who ingests BPA and passes it on to her developing fetus. “There are some indications it may concentrate in the fetus. It’s definitely not something the fetus is protected from,” says Myers. “There are several [health concerns about BPA], but for me the most worrisome relate to diabetes and heart disease, triggered in infancy or in the womb.”

The FDA declined to comment on Tuesday’s report.

The Grocery Manufacturer’s Association and several makers of canned goods said Tuesday that BPA is not a safety issue. However, both Del Monte and Conagra, whose Healthy Choice soups were tested by the coalition and found to contain BPA, said they are exploring alternatives to BPA in can liners. Conagra told CNN that “as part of our ongoing commitment to providing quality products that meet or exceed consumer expectations, we are constantly looking for new and better ways to package our products. That includes finding safe and effective replacement can liners that do not use BPA.”

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Posted by: Caleb Hellerman - CNN Medical Senior Producer