Are Canned Foods Safe?

If you’re a home cook like me, you likely use a few cans every now and again. I always have cans of tomatoes, tuna, and all kinds of bean, in my pantry. One would think they are perfectly safe, however, there’s a nasty substance called Bisphenol A lurking in the linings of many of these cans. Bisphenol A (aka as BPA,)  is an artificial estrogen. BPA has been linked in human and animal studies to heart disease, early-onset puberty, behavioral problems, diabetes and breast and prostate cancer. It is found in the urine of 93% of Americans tested.

The FDA has concluded that small amount of BPA are safe, but determining the exact amount which is safe, is a tricky issue – especially for the regular consumer. I choose to minimize my exposure as much as I can, and one of the ways that do this (BPA is in many other products, too:) is to buy cans from manufacturers who guarantee they don’t use it.
I buy:

Canned Tomatoes, baked beans, and soups from Trader Joe’s

All my beans come from Eden Foods (Wholefoods carries this brand.)

Tuna comes from Wild Planet Foods (lower in mercury, too).

Other companies that use BPA-free cans include: Amy’s, Muir Glen, Von’s O Organics, Wholefoods 365 brand, and Sprouts Farmers Market brand. Feel free to add to this list of you know of any other companies who guarantee BPA-free cans.

If you don’t have a Trader Joes near you, and have a hard time finding canned tomatoes and/or beans that are guaranteed BPA-free, go for a Tetra pak instead (the squashy boxes).