General Mills has criticised research that claims that people who consume canned soup daily are more likely to ingest higher levels of bisphenol A (BPA), which is used in the lining of some cans.
Industrial chemical BPA has been present in hard plastic bottles and metal-based food and beverage cans since the 1960s. It is used to prevent rusting and subsequent contamination of food and drinks but has been linked to adverse health effects.
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Research by the Journal of the American Medical Association, which asked 75 volunteers to eat a can of Progresso soup each day, claimed levels of BPA in the body increased when consuming the soup.
General Mills, the owner of the Progresso brand, claimed the research was flawed.
“The levels of BPA cited in this letter are minuscule, and are measured as excretions,” General Mills said. “The excreted levels supposedly measured would be approximately 185 times below established US guidelines for safe exposure via consumption. It is questionable science, and poorly designed at that.”
The research stated that consumption of one serving of canned soup each day for five days was associated with a more than 1000% increase in urinary BPA concentrations, compared with when the same individuals consumed fresh soup daily.
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By GlobalDataLead author of the study and a doctoral student in the Department of Epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), Jenny Carwile said: “This study suggests that canned foods may be an even greater concern, especially given their wide use.”
Karin Michels, senior author of the study, added: “It may be advisable for manufacturers to consider eliminating BPA from can linings.”
However, the researchers said the increase in urinary BPA concentrations may be temporary and “further research is needed to quantify its duration”.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the chemical is an approved food contact substance and added that the agency will be review the study.
The study made headlines across the world. HJ Heinz’s UK arm said for its beans, pasta and soups, a protective coating is only applied to the end of the cans, which “would not leave any trace of BPA or would only be found at the limit of detection of a few parts per billion”. The company added that this compares with a legal limit of 600 parts per billion.
The UK’s Food Standards Agency said its current advice is that BPA from food contact materials does not represent a risk to consumers. It added that it will be looking at the study to see whether it has any implications for the advice for consumers.
