Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical that is used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. It is ubiquitous in the environment, found in common, everyday products. BPA is used in food and beverage containers and packaging, and the chemical leaches into the products. That means your canned beans, peas, soups, and chili have likely been exposed to BPA, as well as milk cartons and foods in plastic containers.
It’s been estimated that 90 percent of people in the United States have detectable levels of BPA toxin in their bodies, which is not a good thing because BPA has been associated with various health problems, including an increased risk of cancer, including prostate cancer.
In a recent University of Chicago review study (September 2008), it was noted that BPA has been linked with an increased risk of prostate cancer in animal models. (Prins 2008) It was also pointed out that there appears to be a period of time when the prostate is especially sensitive to endocrine disruptors like BPA, including in utero and neonatal, as well as during puberty. BPA has been used in the production of plastics since the 1950s, which means you have been exposed to it most if not all of your life.
A Chemical Heritage Foundation study published in November 2009 also stated that “New research on very-low-dose exposure to BPA suggests an association with adverse health effects, including breast and prostate cancer, obesity, neurobehavioral problems, and reproductive abnormalities.” (Vogel 2009) Although it’s not possible to stay away from BPAs entirely, you can avoid them in a very significant way: by not ingesting them with your food.
Where do I find BPA?
BPA is found in most hard, clear plastics and products made from them, including:
- Dental sealants
- Flooring
- Microwave cookware and utensils
- Pacifiers
- Plastics with recycling #7 designation
- Plastic food storage containers
- Plastic-lined beverage containers
- Plastic-lined food cans
- Plastic toys
- Sippy cups
- Syringes
- Water bottles
BPA has also been found in paper products in supermarkets including paper receipts.
In general, plastics that are marked with recycle codes 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 are very unlikely to contain BPA. Some, but not all, plastics that are marked with recycle codes 3 or 7 may be made with BPA.
There are seven classes of plastics used in packaging applications. Type 7 is the catch-all “other” class, and some type 7 plastics, such as polycarbonate (sometimes identified with the letters “PC” near the recycling symbol) and epoxy resins, are made from bisphenol A monomer.
Type 3 (PVC) can also contain bisphenol A as an antioxidant in plasticizers. This is particularly true for “flexible PVC”, but not true for PVC pipes.
See also
Supermarkets with highest BPA risk
Harvard Study Shows Canned Soup Contains High Levels of BPA
Companies you can trust to use BPA free cans
No Silver Lining: A Report Into Bisphenol A in Canned Foods
More Reasons to Avoid BPA
BPA in common foods have levels linked to neurological and genital defects.
- Tests of ten common packaged foods conducted for the Journal Sentinel in 2008 found toxic levels of BPA had leached into every product when it was heated as instructed in an oven or microwave, even those that stated they were “microwave safe.” (Note: “microwave safe” is not a designation regulated by the government. Any company can put this phrase on their products without any official testing by the FDA.) Among the products tests were two Stouffer’s frozen entrees, Campbell’s microwavable tomato soup, and Hormel’s canned chili without beans. The levels of BPA detected were those shown in previous studies in lab animals to cause neurological and developmental damage, including genital defects, behavioral changes, and abnormal development of the mammary glands. The changes to the mammary glands were identical to those seen in women who are at greater risk for breast cancer. (Kissinger 2008)
BPA can cause testicular and other cancers.
- A review of 258 scientific studies of BPA by the Journal Sentinel found that the vast majority of the studies showed BPA caused breast cancer, testicular cancer, diabetes, low sperm counts, diabetes, hyperactivity, obesity, miscarriage, and other reproductive failures in lab animals. (Kissinger 2009)
BPA can cause erectile dysfunction.
- A study published in November 2009 and conducted by Kaiser Permanente and funded by the US National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health found an increased prevalence of erectile dysfunction (impotence) among men exposed to high levels of BPA on the job. The investigators compared 230 workers in China who were normally exposed to high levels of the chemical on the job with a control group of 404 factory workers who had no exposure to BPA at work. Compared with controls, men exposed to BPA had a greater than sevenfold increased risk of difficulty with ejaculation, a fourfold increased risk of erection difficulty, and a nearly fourfold increased risk of reduced sexual desire and overall satisfaction with their sex life. (Li 2009) Read more on ED
BPA is found in a number of common foods at levels exceeding human limits.
- Another report, published in the December 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, noted that BPA was found in nearly every sample of 19 common food products tested. The organization tested canned corn, chili, juice, tuna, and tomato sauce, among other foods. The investigators found the highest amount of BPA for a single sample in canned Del Monte Fresh Cut Green Beans Blue Lake and high levels also in Progresso Vegetable Soup and Campbell’s Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup. The amount of BPA found in one serving of canned green beans, which averaged 123.5 parts per billion (ppb), meant that a 165-pound adult would ingest about 0.2 micrograms of BPA per kilogram of body weight per day, which is about 80 times higher than the experts’ recommended daily upper limit. Our purpose is not to pick on any one food manufacturer or food item but to emphasize that BPA can be found in a wide range of popular foods items. (Consumer Reports)
The FDA had long insisted that BPA did not present a health hazard. That attitude changed in January 2010, when the agency finally admitted that it now had “some concerns” about the toxin and its possible health impact, especially on children. The FDA released a report in which it said that the “FDA is supporting reasonable steps to reduce human exposure to BPA including actions by industry and recommendations to consumers on food preparation.” However, the agency did not take the extra step and ban products that contain BPA.
See also
National Workgroup for Safe Markets-Investigation into Bisphenol A in Canned Foods
Environmental toxins that cause cancer-The Presidents Cancer Panel Report
BPA Free Cans- Vital Choice Organics
The Real Truth Behind Bisphenol A (BPA)
More Reasons To Avoid Plastic Bottles
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