Get Your Dirty, Sexy Plastic Off My Food and Water!

First it was just bottled water in those bisphenol A (BPA) plastic bottles. We were told not to drink water that "smelled like plastic" or that had sat in sun-warmed bottles. They told us that the BPA in hard plastics could cause prostate and breast cancers, diabetes and heart disease, as well as reproductive problems. BPA is everywhere: baby bottles, toys, and packaging for some microwaveable foods. So now we use BPA-free bottles, toys, and nuke our food in glass containers. That's good!

But what if your food is already tainted with BPA plastic? Well, next time you look into a can of beans, soup, tomatoes, or baby formula, check out the inside of the metal can. If it has a white coating on the inner surface, you may be seeing BPA right in there with your food. Now, aside from heating a can of bean directly over a campfire in case of emergency, most of us don't cook food right in the product cans. But when canned foods are processed and sealed into those cans, what happens to the BPA in contact with your beans, soup, or Similac Infant Forumla?

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a man-made hormone that acts like estrogen, binding to the same receptors that Tamoxifen or natural estrogen would target in your body. So canned foods packaged with epoxy and BPA coatings are like getting sex hormones in a can. Most cases of breast cancer are fueled by estrogen, which is why we need to be aware of products that may look innocent and healthy, but may be potentially harmful. The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control say that low levels of BPA exposure are safe for humans. The American Chemistry Council agrees with the FDA and the CDC, but they also speak for the plastics industry - a significant economic power, as so many products in our world are formed of plastics, wrapped in plastics, or blended with polymers.

Consumer Reports magazine did a study, published in December 2008, that revealed levels of BPA in Del Monte Fresh Cut Blue Lake Green Beans, Progresso Vegetable Soup and Campbell's Condensed Chicken Soup. You'll also find BPA in cans of Nestle Juicy Juice, tomatoes, citrus products, and acidic drinks like cokes. BPA may also be used to line canned alcoholic beverages, so in addition to alcohol raising your estrogen levels, the BPA may be kicking in, too.

Current FDA guidelines, which were formulated in the 1980's, state that the upper limit of safe exposure to BPA is 50 micrograms of BPA for each kilogram of body weight. Word has it that the FDA is revising their BPA guidelines and will get those out to us soon. Dr. Steven G. Hentges, of the CDC, says that our average exposure to BPA is about "1,000 times below government safety limits." But Dr. Urvashi Rangan of Consumer Reports thinks that if a young child is drinking several servings of canned Nestle Juicy Juice every day, "a child still could exceed a level that Consumers Union thinks would provide an adequate margin of safety."

I can remember when canned food came only in glass jars. Milk was delivered in glass jugs. Fresh fruit and vegetables might arrive in wooden boxes or burlap bags. Meat was cut to order and wrapped in paper. Were we as a nation healthier then? Perhaps we were. Nowadays, I use a stainless steel travel mug, a BPA-free water jug, and I microwave foods in paper or glass containers. But I will also be looking for foods that are not packaged with BPA epoxy coatings, because I just don't want to put my health at risk. Just as I try to live green and detoxify my personal environment, I'll try to keep my food and drink as pure as I can.

Does the idea of BPA in your canned or bottled foods bother you? Leave a comment or visit my Forum to discuss BPA, diet, and cancer risk.