BPA Levels in Food

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Story Published: Nov 18, 2009 at 7:19 PM PST

By Jackie Watanabe

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When expectant mom Leslie Schoemann eats canned soup, she admits it's probably not the healthiest meal, but she doesn't think it's a huge health risk

"I've sometimes thought, 'I'm not giving the most nutritious meal to my child,'" says Shoemann. "I never thought that anything to do with the packaging or the can would be what was harmful to them."

BPA safety is hotly debated issue and consumers like Leslie are left without clear answers, but just what is a safe level of BPA to ingest?

"There are more recent studies showing that exposure to low doses of BPA are associated with a wide range of adverse health effects, including various cancers, diabetes, and heart disease," says Urvashi Rangan.

Consumer Reports tested a variety of foods for BPA - three samples of 24 different products, mostly canned. Campbell's, Del Monte, Green Giant, Hormel, and Progresso were some of the ones tested.

Outside lab tests found many of the samples contained BPA levels that were higher, often much higher than the level Consumer Reports' believes could pose a safety risk, especially to children and developing fetuses.

"It's important to note, levels of BPA can vary significantly - even in the products we tested," says Rangan. "Our tests were a small snapshot of the marketplace, so you can't draw conclusions about any one type of product or any particular brand, but there are things you can do that may help minimize exposure."

Ideally, you should choose fresh food over canned whenever possible. and for products children drink a lot of, try alternatives like powdered infant formulas and bottled or boxed juice.

Schoemann says she'll make what she sees as small changes, hoping to reduce her family's risk in any way she can.

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