Despite health hazards and years of warnings, millions of Americans who eat canned foods are still being exposed to the toxic chemical bisphenol A or BPA.
In an analysis of more than 250 canned foods, nearly 40 percent of cans contain BPA, which causes birth defects and has been linked to breast cancer, prostate cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and other health problems, according to the report “Kicking the Can? Major Retailers Still Selling Canned Food With BPA” by the Center for Environmental Health. The testing also found some cans lined with another toxic substitute, PVC plastic.
For the report, cans were purchased between January and April of 2017, from 11 states: California, Idaho, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Virginia. The majority of the cans were purchased from four national retailers: Kroger, Albertsons/Safeway, Dollar Tree, and 99 Cents Only.
“These companies have known for years that BPA is a serious health threat, yet too many of their food cans still contain this dangerous chemical,” said Caroline Cox, research director for CEH. “Americans deserve safe food for their children and families. It is past time for grocery retailers and dollar stores to end this health threat and develop safer alternatives for canned foods.”
The CEH report compares its 2017 findings with testing on canned foods that were purchased in 2015 and reported on in last year’s Buyer Beware report released by the Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, Campaign for Healthier Solutions, Clean Production Action, Ecology Center, and Mind the Store Campaign. Findings from this year’s report show:
- Nearly 40 percent of the cans tested used BPA-containing linings. While this is down from the 2015 report, which showed 67 percent of cans with BPA, the threat of exposure to BPA from canned food remains high.
- The contents from four cans that tested positive for BPA were tested by an independent lab for BPA contamination; all four tested positive for BPA in the food.
- The two largest grocery chains in the country, Kroger and Albertsons, continue to sell canned food lined with toxic BPA; 36 percent of Albertsons’ and 33 percent of Kroger’s “private label” food cans tested positive for BPA.
- Cans purchased from certain dollar stores were more likely to contain BPA, a concern for low-income communities of color who live in “food deserts” where canned food from the local dollar store is often the most convenient and affordable option. Studies show that people in these communities have, on average, higher levels of BPA in their bodies than the rest of the population.
- While some companies are moving away from BPA in their canned foods, there is inadequate safety information on the materials they’re using to replace BPA. Nineteen percent of the cans tested use linings containing PVC, a toxic substitute. Other substitute linings found in the analysis include materials that haven’t been adequately evaluated for safety.
BPA is an endocrine disrupting chemical that can alter the body’s natural hormones and cause health problems. Tiny amounts of these chemicals can affect the body, especially when people are exposed at critical developmental stages, such as during fetal development or puberty. Pregnant women and the developing fetus, children, and teens may be most at risk from exposures to BPA from canned foods.
"The nation's two largest grocery chains, Kroger and Albertsons, have the power to drive toxic BPA out of food packaging and safeguard our health," said Mike Schade, Mind the Store campaign director for Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families. "While this new report shows that some progress had been made, it underscores the need for retailers to commit to completely phase out BPA, ensure substitutes are safe, and develop systemic safer chemical policies."
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