Avoid BPA By Using Glass Containers

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Remodeling your kitchen is an exciting and somewhat overwhelming experience. You know you want change, but how much? What kind? What will it cost? While you are making the effort to give your kitchen the green facelift it needs, why not re-think what you put into your brand new energy efficient refrigerator or beautifully refinished and organically sealed cabinets?

You might be surprised to find that the food products previously lining your shelves might not be as safe or eco-friendly as you think. Recent research is being discussed surrounding the safety of certain plastic and aluminum packaging for food, particularly due to the chemical bisphenol-A (BPA). This chemical is found in the sealants of aluminum cans and some hard plastics such as polycarbonate bottles (those with the recycling number seven on the bottom).

The longer foods and liquids sit in these packaging containers, the more BPA can leach into the substances. Higher temperatures can also cause more leaching from these substances. While the majority of research surrounding BPA has focused on its affects on infants (including negative affects on brain development, the prostrate and possibly behavior), the Journal of the American Medical Association recently published a new finding that high levels of BPA are associated with heart disease and diabetes in adults.

So, when you are stocking your newly remodeled kitchen, consider the health repercussions of the products you choose. If you are looking for a safe, pure and healthy alternative, try buying foods and beverages packaged in glass. Here are some reasons glass is safe for you and your family:

1. Glass is made from completely natural raw materials: sand, limestone and soda ash, and does not leach into foods or liquids.
2. Because glass is chemically inert, it can be microwaved safely.
3. Glass packaging has also received its seal of approval from the Food and Drug Administration, as it is the only packaging material "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) by the agency.

Kristen Grinstead
Publicist with Nicholson Kovac, which represents glassmaker O-I

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