Bisphenol A and BPA alternatives in selected canned foods and jarred infant food : April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024

Abstract

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used to make Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) epoxy resins and hard plastic containers. Its use in the food industry is common, as BADGE epoxy resins are often coated on the inside of cans to prevent direct contact between the food and the metal. These compounds can migrate into food, particularly at elevated temperatures (for example, in hot-filled or heat-processed canned foods). To prevent the adverse health effects of these componds, some manufacturers have turned to BPA alternatives such as Bisphenol F (BPF) and Bisphenol S (BPS). Limited data is available concerning the use of BPA alternatives in canned and bottled foods, therefore they were included in this survey. A total of 353 samples were collected from retail stores in 11 cities across Canada. The samples collected included coconut milk, infant formula, ready-to-eat (RTE) curry products, meat, pasta, soup, and jarred infant food. BPA was detected in 33% of the survey samples and other analogues were detected in 8%. No samples had detected levels of BPS. The highest average and maximum BPA levels were reported in canned food samples and the lowest in infant foods. The results from this survey were comparable to those found in previous surveys. Maximum Levels (MLs) for BPA, BADGE, BPF and BPS have not been established, so levels were assessed by Health Canada on a case-by-case basis using the most current scientific data. The levels observed in this survey were evaluated by Health Canada who determined that none of the samples would pose an unacceptable human health concern, therefore there were no recalls resulting from this survey.