HEALTH Concerns over chemical in canned food

In the can?


Marika Cronnolly

After a long day at work, cooking can feel like a hassle, and many of us heat up a can of soup instead. Recent studies, however, have revealed that there may be evidence that links the consumption of canned food and drinks with the ingestion of potentially harmful amounts of the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA), used in cans to to prevent rusting and to keep food fresh.
Children may be most at risk of intoxication from BPA. The US-based National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) have reported ‘some concern’ about the harmful effects of exposure to BPA on the brains of foetuses and infants. A ‘precautionary’ ban by the European Commission on the use of BPA in polycarbonate feeding bottles for infants came into force on June 1, 2011.
Other possible harmful effects that have been picked up on by the media include  birth defects and increased levels of the hormone oestrogen in young girls, causing the early onset of puberty. However, the NIEHS reported the oestrogen issue to be of ‘minimal concern’, and has categorised the risk of birth defects as ‘negligible’.
The French, however, have taken a more cautious approach, with French food agency ANSES implementing further restrictions on the use of BPA.
This all sounds pretty frightening, but it doesn’t mean you should rush to throw out half the contents of your cupboard just yet. The European Food Safety Authority maintains that current data does not provide sufficient evidence that BPA exposure via canned food or drink can have harmful effects on humans. However, it does plan to review its decision once the results of studies being conducted in the US this year have been released.