Does BPA Leach From Glass Jarred Baby Food Lids?
We love receiving questions from parents inquiring on how to choose the safest alternatives available for their little miracles! Recently, this question was asked through a facebook fan and would love it if you would become a facebook fan too!
The question of concern from our facebook fan and reader we are addressing today: Can the BPA from the lids really affect the baby food in the jars?
Honestly, being concerned of the long list of dangers that lurk in BPA you would think that buying organic baby foods packaged in glass jars is a safe bet, right? Well, we were personally shocked to find out that one of the many places that BPA does hide is under the lids of glassed baby food jars. We posted on this back in July of 2009, if you would like to read more, click here.
So, we went to a very respected and recognized BPA expert, Professor Fred vom Saal, to get the answers regarding BPA. Additionally, we found some enlightening information from Health Canada that we are delighted to share with you all today.
BPA Hides In Baby Food Lids Of Glass Jars
You may have read one of our past articles on BPA and its dangers to our children. In one particular post we warn of the hidden places BPA lurks. One of those places is the inside of the lids that cap baby food packaged in glass jars. Find out where more unexpected places that the endocrine disruptor, BPA, hides here.
The following is our Q&A with BPA expert Frederick S. vom Saal, Curators’ Professor/Division of Biological Sciences at the University of Missouri-Columbia:
Safbaby: Can the BPA from the lids really affect the baby food in the jars?
Professor Frederick S. vom Saal: BPA can leach from jar tops. If possible get tops without BPA.
Safbaby notes that we do not know of any companies that do offer tops without BPA. We did contact Earth’s Best, a huge manufacturer of glassed baby food to ask if they are considering a safer alternative and have not received a reply back from them.
Safbaby: If some of the food touches the inside of the lid which has BPA on it while in storage, what is the concern of that BPA leaching into all of the food? Would scooping the top layer off help?
Professor Frederick S. vom Saal: I really do not know, but any BPA present would leach some into the food if contact is made. If upright, there should be less contact.
Health Canada’s Research on BPA In Glass Jarred Baby Food
Then we found this report from Health Canada which shows the concentrations (ng/g) of BPA in baby food products prepackaged in glass jars with metal lids as consumed! Check this out here.
We believe it to be of importance to quote Health Canada’s advice stating this about BPA levels in glass jarred baby food: The results of this survey clearly indicate that exposure to BPA through the consumption of jarred baby food products would be extremely low. The low levels of BPA found in jarred baby food products available for sale in Canada confirms Health Canada’s previous assessment conclusion that the current dietary exposure to BPA through food packaging uses is not expected to pose a health risk to the consumer.
We can not be totally sure if these tests would prove the exact same for the same manufacturer’s food sold here in the USA. However, we do agree that exposure of BPA via this source would be very minimal in comparison to the exposure a baby would get in drinking from a BPA plastic bottle daily.
To work on making a positive difference as a concerned consumer: If you are using jarred baby food please call or email the company you use and let them know of your concerns for having a hormone disrupting chemical leeching into your baby’s food. If you find of any companies that are using a safe alternative lid on glassed baby food jars please let us know! Glass is reusable and a smarter option for our environment. Let these companies know you are looking only to support those companies who are offering 100% BPA free packaging.
In the meantime, SAFbaby does not personally believe that organic, glass jarred baby foods should be completely banned from your kitchen if that is bringing a little more peace/convenience into your day every now and then. But, please do continue to provide your baby with fresh and homemade baby food as often as you possibly can and keep the real BPA exposure that is coming via toys, BPA bottles, sippy cups completely out of the picture.
Category: 0-1 yr, 1-3 yrs, 3-5 yrs, BPA-Free, Drinking, Feeding
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