Tip of the Week

Glad to finally see something on the issue of BPA-lined cans. I've been wondering whether there were specific brands I could seek out. Does anyone know of any other brands, aside from Eden Foods, that have eliminated BPA from their can linings?

Also, is a white lining on the inside of a can an indication that it's lining includes BPA lacing? Are highly acidic products like crushed tomatoes more likely to come in BPA-lined cans?

How can we tell what is packaged in Tetra Paks? Are organic canned foods safe? I'd appreciate any info!

I don't even know what these are. There's a wikipedia page, but even this doesn't make it immediately clear what they look like, how you can tell a product is in one, etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetra_Pak

Can these be recycled?

Here's a link that shows what they look like: http://www.tetrapak.com/products_and_services/packages/pages/default.aspx

They are recycleable in many areas but not all. Check with your local recycling depot.

This article raises more questions than it answers. It would be very helpful if the questions posed by the previous posters could be answered by the article author. Seems a bit more research and investigative reporting is needed.

I miss all the canned soup I used to buy. Can we get the soup companies to stop using this liner? I would be happy to sign any such petition, which perhaps could be best sponsored by the Green Guide.

Some of the reason they have not switched is marketing-how would we ever know it is Campbell's if not n that can??? Swanson, Imagine,and a few others have their soups and stocks in Tetra Paks and there is a brand of stewed tomatoes. They are easy to find and usually right on the shelves next to the other items. If you go to Europe you'll find the UHT milk in them. WE can campaign for changes ourselves simply by writing places like Campbell's and asking for Tetra Pak instead of cans. Letters are sometimes considered worth "more" than signatures on a petition but this link http://epetitions.net/ will take you to a site to create your own and then send it out asking that the request be forwarded-do NOT write a petition as part of an email-they don't work. (don't mean to be smart ass but a lot of people do not know this.)

What timing. I just e-mailed Wholefoods yesterday to get some clarification on their 365 Organic canned goods. I noticed that some mentioned a "water based enamel lining" (6oz. Tomato Paste, 14.5 oz. Diced Tomatoes), but others didn't specify (misc. 28oz. tomatoes, misc. beans/chili, etc.).

I have no idea if the "water base" enamel is BPA-free (but why advertise it if not?), but hopefully they all are. It sounds like tomato products (acidic) create the highest levels (per the Environmental Working Group website). That's not good news because we use a lot of canned tomatoes (and have for years)!

Anyway, I will update this post when I receive their response. . .

I wrote them a while ago to ask about their can linings. They have BPA & they sent lots of information about the supposed safety and said they were looking for alternates. From what I have read all cans have been lined with BPA due to lack of options -- Eden is the first change I've heard of and a sign that new technology is finally coming onto the market. Write the manufacturers you care about and tell them you want BPA-free linings even if it costs more. I'd pay a few cents more per can to eat Amy's Organic Soup without fear of BPA.

"Eden Organic Beans are packed in lead free tin covered steel cans coated with a baked on oleoresinous c-enamel lining that does not contain bisphenol-A (BPA). (Oleoresin is a natural mixture of an oil and a resin extracted from various plants, such as pine or balsam fir). These cans cost 14 percent more than the industry standard cans that do contain BPA. This costs Eden $300,000 more a year. To our knowledge Eden is the only U.S. company that uses this custom made BPA-free can."

Glad to hear that tetra packs are considered safe. I eat very few packaged foods because of high sodium content, but sometimes I just want a can of soup. I have seen a number of soup companies (Campbells I believe is one of them) that package some of their higher end soups in the tetra boxes. I am not sure if they are recycleable however.

Sorry to say I have never heard of Eden Foods, nor have I seen them in any store in my area.

I said I would post back when I heard from Whole Foods but I haven't heard anything yet. At this point I'm guessing they're not going to answer my questions. . .

Sorry about the subject line; I couldn't help myself. But it is apropos as the response back (finally!) from Whole Foods was a little disappointing. Not much more than is offered on their website.

Are they really helpless and unable to exert any pressure on their private label mfrs.? Is there really not enough info on BPA to move on this? Sounds pretty weak to me. This is a $6 plus billion dollar company that focuses on health & wellness! Well anyway, here is their response:

Bisphenol-A (BPA) in plastics is a hot topic and is quite complex. An explanation of the issue and Whole Foods Market's current stance on the topic can be found on the Whole Foods Market Web site at: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/nutrition/bisphenol-a.php

It is possible that the linings of the cans used for our Private Label products contain small amounts of BPA. Our manufacturers source metal cans from the commodity market and the type of lining used can change with each purchase. The statement about ‘a clear enamel lining' does not guarantee that the can is BPA free.

We continue to monitor the research on BPA and seek out the safest and most functional packaging possible based on the evidence.

Whole Foods Market has many fresh, dry and frozen products that are comparable alternatives for those guests who want to avoid canned products.

Best,

Jessie Walker|Customer Information Specialist

Whole Foods Market|Global Head Quarters

Phone 512-542-0670|Fax 512-482-7670