Campbell's Soup Company recently announced that it will replace Bisphenol A (BPA) with polyester or acrylic materials in its can linings. The company's transition to BPA-free can linings will be completed mid-2017.
In early March, Campbell started using cans with polyester or acrylic materials in the lining. The company said they will continue on this path in Canada and the United States until all their cans are switched to BPA-free ones.
By December 2016, approximately 75 percent of all Campbell's soup products will be BPA-free. By mid-2017, their other packaging such as V8 beverage aluminum cans and the glass jars' metal top lids will be BPA-free.
"Our priority throughout this transition has been, and will continue to be, food safety. We have tested and conducted trials with hundreds of alternatives to BPA lining and believe the acrylic and polyester options will ensure our food remains safe, affordable and tastes great," said Senior Program Manager, Packaging, Mike Mulshine in a company statement.
BPA's Impact On Public Health
BPA is a common chemical used in the production of epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics. These plastic materials have a wide range of applications including water bottles, food packaging, infant bottles, compact discs, medical devices and impact-resistant safety products.
BPA is used to line cans to prevent the food contents from corroding the metal. Unfortunately, BPA has been linked to several health conditions in recent years such as childhood obesity, tooth decay, asthma, miscarriage risks and even breast cancer.
BPA gets into the body mainly through diet. According to the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIH), BPA can seep into food contents from the cans' epoxy resins. It can also leach into food through the water bottles and storage containers.
"The degree to which BPA leaches from polycarbonate bottles into liquid may depend more on the temperature of the liquid or bottle, than the age of the container," said NIH.
Though the U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA) said that low-dose BPA exposure is harmless, many consumers are still concerned about this toxic chemical and want it removed in the canned products.
Photo: Pablo Daniel Diaz Pinto | Flickr
