Study Finds Majority of Food Cans Have BPA in the Linings

A new report by six nonprofit organizations that tested nearly 200 food-can linings for Bisphenol A (BPA) found that two out of three cans tested have the chemical in the lining. The report also identified replacement materials for BPA, and to what extent -- if any -- their safety has been studied. The report identified and analyzed the interior linings and lids of canned foods containing vegetables, fruits, soups, broth, gravy, milks and beans.

 The Findings. Testing positive were:

• 100 percent of Campbell's products sampled (15 of 15). Upon learning about the upcoming report, Campbell's announced that it is eliminating BPA in North American cans by mid- 2017.
• 71 percent of sample Del Monte cans (10 of 14). Del Monte has also announced that it will be converting to BPA-free lined cans by 2017.
• 50 percent of sampled General Mills cans (six of 12).
• Combined, 62 percent of private-label or generic food cans (71 out of 114), including Albertsons (including Randalls and Safeway), Dollar General, Dollar Tree (including Family Dollar), Gordon Food Service, Kroger, Loblaws, Meijer, Publix, Target, Trader Joe's, and Walmart.

Broth and gravy cans were the most likely (100 percent of those sampled) to contain BPA in the can linings; corn and peas were the least likely category (41 percent of those sampled).

On the positive side, Amy's Kitchen, Annie's Homegrown (recently acquired by General Mills), Hain Celestial Group, and ConAgra have fully transitioned away from BPA and have disclosed the BPA alternatives they're using. Eden Foods reported eliminating the use of BPA-based epoxy liners in 95 percent of its canned foods and stated that it is actively looking for alternatives. Whole Foods has clearly adopted the strongest policy of the retailers surveyed in the report. Whole Foods reports that store brand buyers are not currently accepting any new canned items with BPA in the lining material.

The Alternatives. The report found that retailers and national brands that are phasing out BPA could be replacing it with regrettable substitutes. Identifying the safety of BPA alternatives is challenging, given the insufficient FDA review and approval of packaging additives and highly protected trade secrets in this product sector. However, the report found that:

• Aside from BPA, four major coating types were identified among the 192 cans tested: acrylic resins, oleoresin, polyester resins, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) copolymers. There were multiple formulations of these compounds found, but no way to determine the specific chemicals used or how they are produced.
• 18 percent of retailers' private-label foods and 36 percent of national brands were lined with a PVC-based copolymer that is made from highly hazardous chemicals including vinyl chloride, a known human carcinogen. PVC is considered a regrettable substitute.
• 33 percent of retailers' private-label foods and 51 percent of national brands were lined with acrylic based polymers. Of the cans tested, 39 percent had a polystyrene-acrylic combination, of concern because styrene is considered a possible carcinogen.
• Much more research is needed to determine the safety of these compounds, and what may be migrating from the "alternative" can linings into food.

Recommendations. The report includes numerous recommendations including:

• National brands, grocery stores, big box retailers and dollar stores should eliminate and safely substitute BPA from all food packaging and label all chemicals used in can liners.
• In conjunction with the report release, advocates have launched a national online campaign calling on Kroger and Campbell's to eliminate and safely substitute BPA. Congress should adopt comprehensive legislation to reform the FDA's system for reviewing and approving the safety of packaging material.
• Consumers should choose fresh or frozen foods, or only purchase canned food from manufacturers and retailers that fully disclose the identity and safety of their can linings. Look for food packaged in other materials such as glass and Tetra Pak containers.

The report, Buyer Beware: Toxic BPA & Regrettable Substitutes in the Linings of Canned Food was conceived and authored by the Breast Cancer Fund; Campaign for Healthier Solutions; Clean Production Action; Ecology Center; Environmental Defence (Canada); and Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families' Mind the Store campaign. (Download the full report here.)