Study Finds BPA in Thanksgiving Canned Foods

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Several reports have identified Bisphenol-A, the controversial estrogen-like chemical, in canned foods. So it should come as no surprise that the Breast Cancer Fund found it in canned foods commonly consumed at Thanksgiving meals.

The group's study found BPA in the following canned foods:

• Cream of Mushroom Soup
• Turkey Gravy
• Evaporated Milk
• Fresh Cut Sweet Corn, Cream Style
• Cut Green Beans
• Pumpkin

None was found in the cranberry sauce tested, and the amount of BPA in each canned food varied widely, with samples of each food showing differing results.

The Breast Cancer Fund recommends eating more fresh foods and fewer canned foods. That's advice that can help people eat healthier as well as avoid exposures to chemicals that leach from the lining of cans, like BPA. Whether or not exposure causes health risks is debatable; advocates like the Breast Cancer Fund believe it's wise to avoid any known exposure, since BPA is so similar to estrogen that it may have wide ranging health effects. Lab studies, and some human studies, have linked exposure to a number of diseases. The government and industry largely stands behind the chemical's safety, though some government panels and even some retailers and manufacturers have cautioned consumers about risks, or stopped using it altogether.

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