Most Canned Food Contains BPA

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37592661/ns/health-food_safety/

For the past several years, there has been much concern and debate over the chemical Bisphenol A's effects, particularly on babies and young children. Many parents buy only BPA-free bottles and feeding items in an effort to protect their children from the chemical's possible harmful effects.

What many parents don't realize is that almost any food that comes out of a can contains BPA, including infant formula. BPA is the key compound in epoxy resin linings that keep food fresher for longer and prevent it from interacting with metal and altering the taste of food. It has been linked in some studies of rats and mice to cancer, obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

While trade groups for chemical and can manufacturers say they stand behind the chemical, the FDA expressed "some concern" about BPA in January propelled by recent independent scientific studies and mounting concern from the public and consumer groups. The agency said it would put $30 million towards studying the chemical's potential effects on the human body. The report, being done in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health is due in late 2011.

Dr. Hugh Taylor, a Yale University physician, professor and researcher, has shown that the chemical alters the way genes react to estrogen, and could open the door for infants in utero to develop cancer much later in life. "I tell my pregnant patients to avoid products containing it," he said. "Even a fleeting exposure in pregnancy can cause lasting damage."