The chemical is used in countless products, from
plastic bottles and paper receipts to the linings of metal cans.
The National Toxicology Program has said it has "some concern" that
BPA alters development of the brain, behavior and the prostate
gland in children, before and after birth.
Researchers found that BPA levels vary dramatically
even between cans of the same product, according to the study,
released Tuesday by the National Workgroup for Safe Markets, a
coalition of 19 environmental groups. For example, one can of Del
Monte French Style Green Beans had 36 micrograms of BPA per
serving, while another can of the same product had 138 micrograms
per serving — a level that has been linked to changes in prostate
cells and increased aggression in animals.
The report calls on Congress to ban BPA in food and
drink containers, noting that companies such as Eden Foods already
sell vegetables in BPA-free cans; Muir Glenn also plans to begin
packaging tomatoes in BPA-free cans this year. Canada and Denmark
restrict the use of BPA in certain children's products, as do five
U.S. states, three counties in New York and the city of Chicago,
the report says.
The Grocery Manufacturers Association says the
report ignores evidence showing BPA is safe.
And there is "no replacement for BPA that will work
across the board for all foods," the association's Robert Brackett
said in a statement. "The performance of any technology that could
impact the safety of food or beverages must be proven over the
entire shelf life of the product before it can be used."
source:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-05-19-cans19_ST_N.htm