The December 2009 issue of Consumer Reports adds to our worry column. We’ve had a week of E.coli reports and undeclared allergens but what about the go-to foods when we just want a little help and the refrigerator section of fresh produce is bare? OK, problem on shelf one.
It’s that time of year when farm market selections get a little repetitive, and it’s a long wait til we rework the soil for the spring garden. Canned goods have a place in our food preparation. Maybe more so at this time of the year than other seasons.
Now this report says: Hold on there: Not everything is as safe as you’d like. Personally, I’ve always preferred glass jars to metal cans but not every manufacturer is on my program. I do have on hand several varieties of metal cans especially for diced bits of tomatoes. Oh, did I mention, tuna. They’re there!
I go with petra paks for soup concentrates but let’s get back to the metal world and this report. (Oops, they found some measurable BPA levels in some packaged soups, but not as high as those found in the specific canned soups). There, of course, is the frozen vegetable category, and Bird’s Eye Steamfresh cut green beans had a very low BPA concentration. Have to practice the Thanksgiving casserole recipe with the frozen beans!
Consumer Reports tested 19 brand-name foods, including a few in the sacred organic category, and found measurable levels of Bisphenol A (BPA) in the products, even in some of those marked “BPA-free.” Canned green beans and canned soups were some of the worst offenders.
BPA exposure especially in infants and young children is a worrisome issue. With older adults it has been directly linked to numerous diseases and cancers. This is one more item, an important one, on the FDA plate: Now is the time for them to take action on BPA and eliminate this worry from our long anxiety list. I am not alone on this FDA Take Action strategy. These are the serious health action groups saying: Enough, Act Now.
Mercury, BPA, and the unknown food safety concern make it hard to have my tuna fish salad sandwich for lunch.
I’ll just have a smaller portion.
