A Harmful Chemical May be in your Kitchen Pantry

There is yet another food scare to warn you about and it could affect your health.

Some people are refusing to eat canned foods from their pantry. A new consumer report says a potentially dangerous chemical called bisophenal A is being used in the production of hard plastics including plastic water and baby bottles.

The chemical has also been found in certain name-brand canned foods, according to a study. In its December issue, Consumer Reports tested soups, juice, tuna and green beans, and found that 19 name-brand foods contain some amount of BPA.

And organic foods were not exempt — they didn’t always have lower levels of BPA than non-organic foods. Some labels also declared their cans BPA-free, but this claim wasn’t always true either.

Consumer Reports found that the highest levels of bisphenol-A were found in Del Monte Fresh Cut Green Beans Blue Lake, Progresso Vegetable Soup and Campbell’s Condensed Chicken Soup.

The study also found much-maligned BPA in Similac Advance Infant Formula and Nestle Juicy Juice in a can.

Both the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintain that low levels of BPA exposure are safe for people and will not affect your health.

What to do
You can and avoid putting plastics the microwave (where they can release dangerous chemicals when heated) or the dishwasher (where they can degrade in the heat and excessive moisture). You can also choose smart plastics that use polyethylene (#1, #2, and #4) and polypropylene (#5), which require the use of less toxic additives. They also are non-chlorinated.

You can also select freezer bags or fresh produce which is also healthier than canned goods.

Lenneice A. Drew is an experienced journalist currently focused on healthcare reform. She is working to help others achieve better lives by finding affordable health insurance alternatives and reporting stories related to the healthcare industry. She lives in Miami, Florida.