Oct

29

BPA Free Thanksgiving?

Filed Under Bisphenol-A, Food Safety | 14 Comments

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    pie(Re-posted from a while ago but a good one to revisit!) Since all this started I’ve been trying desperately to come up with alternatives to the old family favorites that require a can of this or that.  So here’s a few solutions I’ve come up with that replace those cans that plague our meals with BPA.  No one wants hormone disruption with their dinner do they? (Yes I’m being cheeky.)

    Cream of Mushroom Soup

    Many recipes during the holidays require cream of mushroom soup.  Finding it not in a can has proven to be next to impossible. Thanks to the magic of Twitter I’ve heard of a few solutions.

    Use Cream of Celery Soup: Swap this in its place… can be found in box form in the natural foods aisle of many grocery stores.

    Make it yourself: A little more time consuming but you could do a large batch and freeze 10 oz. portions for use later.

    Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe

    1 lb. fresh mushrooms
    2 c. onions
    1 1/2 tsp. sugar
    3 tbsp. flour
    1 c. cold water
    15 oz chicken soup
    1 c. all purpose cream
    Salt & pepper to taste
    2 tbsp. butter

    Grate mushrooms and onions. Melt butter and saute onions and sugar until brown. Add mushrooms and saute for 3 minutes. Stir in flour until smooth. Add cold water and stir until blended. Add can of soup and simmer for 15 minutes. Just before serving, stir in cream.

    Or: Make a roux with butter and flour. Add milk and veggie broth to desired thickness then add sauteed mushrooms.

    Pumpkin Pie

    What’s Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie?? But what about those pesky convenient cans of perfectly spiced pumpkin? I’ll be the first to admit that going the DIY route sounds unappealing with as much preparation Thanksgiving dinner requires.  But if you’re ambitious then here’s a DIY idea for you I found on the Mother Nature Network:

    Do It Yourself:  Buy a little, tender, organic sugar pumpkin at the farmers market, cut it in eighths, scrape out seeds, and steam or boil it. Cool, remove skin, and blend until smooth like a puree. Should result in roughly 15 oz. or so you’ll need to fill a deep dish pie recipe.

    Edit to Add: A reader commented about this method and since she’s done it before she had some better tips on cooking pumpkin:

    They are still very watery squash and will make a bland, soggy pie if used in the way you describe. Instead, what you should do is cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out seeds, roast it face down on a cookie sheet (about 1 hour at 375 should do it) and then once it’s cool peel the skin off. Now you still need to get rid of the excess water. Wrap the pumpkin flesh in cheesecloth and squeeze the heck out of it repeatedly until it is about 1/4 the original volume. Finally, puree the condensed flesh until smooth. Because so much of the pumpkin is water I would actually recommend using 2 sugar pumpkins to get the 15oz usually called for in pumpkin pie recipes.

    As the article says, many pie recipes call for a can of condensed milk, which you can substitute heavy cream (or soy milk for vegans).  Great tip!  The article also has a great egg-free, soy recipe.

    Make Sweet Potato Pie Instead: I’ll admit I didn’t grow up eating sweet potato pie. But it is a great alternative to pumpkin and doesn’t require the can of pumpkin to make. You can cut up and steam sweet potatoes and blend until smooth to get the puree you need.  No can required. It’s just as festive and delicious as a pumpkin pie.  Here’s a delectable recipe from Alton Brown (I love him!) on the Food Network:

    Sweet Potato Pie

    • 1 pound 3 ounces sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
    • 1 1/4 cups plain yogurt
    • 3/4 cup packed, dark brown sugar
    • 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
    • 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
    • 5 egg yolks
    • Salt
    • 1 (9-inch) deep dish, frozen pie shell
    • 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

    Directions: Put cubed potatoes into steamer basket and place steamer basket into a large pot of simmering water that is no closer than 2 inches from the bottom of basket. Allow to steam for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Mash with potato masher and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place sweet potatoes in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment. Add yogurt, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, yolks, and salt, to taste, and beat until well combined. Pour this batter into the pie shell and place onto a sheet pan. Sprinkle pecans on top and drizzle with maple syrup. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until the custard reaches 165 to 180 degrees. Remove from oven and cool. Keep refrigerated after cooling.

    Green Bean Casserole

    Ok… I didn’t grow up with this dish at my family table.  I never even heard of it until I moved to Philadelphia.  I also think it’s a vile vile food.  But my husband and family love it and think of it as a staple on Thanksgiving day. Problem is it requires not only a can of cream of mushroom soup (se above for alternatives) but it alse requires canned green beans.  Solution?  Buy bags of frozen, cut green beans instead.

    Cranberry Sauce

    You are either one of two kinds of people.  You’re the homemade cranberry kind of people, like me.  Or you’re the gelatinous can of cranberry kind who is ok with a round disc of cranberry on your plate.  Which is who I was until I tasted my grandmothers homemade cranberry sauce and I converted.  Some people can’t have Turkey day without their green bean casserole and can of cranberry.  But if you are the adventurous type and want to eliminate the need for the can of BPA cranberry here is the recipe I use every year.  Trust me its easy and delicious:

    Nana SafeMama’s Cranberry Sauce

    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 1/2 cup orange juice (and zest)
    • 1 package of cranberries  (looked over and washed)

    Directions: In a large saucepan, mix water, orange juice & sugar.  Stir until dissolved over medium heat.  Dump in cranberries and zest an orange into the pan.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and then boil gently, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and pour into a glass bowl.  Let cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate.  Best made the day before (says Grandma… and its actually true, plus its one less thing to do on Turkey Day).

    Need some original recipe ideas? Check out my friend at the Craving Chronicles who has some beautiful cranberry and pumpkin treats listed for Thanksgiving.  You can apply the ideas here to any of her recipes.  I really want those Orange Cranberry Rosemary  muffins!

    Have any BPA free holiday tips of your own? Share them in the comments!

    Dec

    21

    JPMA Newsletter Says BPA “Won’t Hurt You”

    Filed Under Bisphenol-A | 10 Comments

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      A reader forwarded me a recent newsletter that was sent out by the JPMA (Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, Inc) to it’s subscribers bashing the bans on BPA taking effect in the country and in Canada.  In a word they quote it “Nonsense.” Or my favorite “unscientific hysteria”.  JPMA quotes “Nonsense. Not only is there no good evidence that BPA locked into plastic can hurt people, it actually saves lives by stopping botulism. They also quote the American Council on Science and Health which has poo poo’ed BPA’s dangers in the past. Interesting that the report found quotes from the one organization that disagrees on the safety of BPA. (The American Council on Science and Health are also a nonprofit organization that relies on donations… hmm, I wonder who donates?)

      I may not be a scientist but I’m pretty sure that the people who did the studies that revealed the dangers of Bisphenol-A to humans (especially to the sensitive development of babies and children) feel differently. Such as:

      I’m not sure why JPMA felt the need to share this with their newsletter readers, pulling quotes like “scientifically illiterate legislators are quick to panic” and highlighting scaremongering that’s making things happen. The content sounds motivated and defensive rather than weighing both sides of the issue in a thoughtful manner.  It’s not what I would expect from an organization that specializes in the safety of children’s products.  You can see the newsletter in it’s entirety here. (It’s copied from an email into PDF)

      Edited to add: It’s been clarified by JPMA that these are not their opinions and that they were merely quoting an article by John Stossel which they do link in their newsletter in the end.  However the presentation does not lend itself to making that clear. These are not the collective opinions of JPMA and have “quoted” other articles on the contrary side of BPA in past newsletters.

      Dec

      8

      New Report Surfaces: BPA On Money

      Filed Under Bisphenol-A, Chemicals | 4 Comments

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        A while back we all found out just how much BPA is present in a simple store receipt and several people blogged about it, bringing it to the forefront. It’s become more apparent that BPA lurks in places we don’t realize.  So is the case with paper money too.  My friends at SaferChemicals.org published an article today about a new report that illustrates how much BPA is in paper money.

        The Washington Toxics Coalition along with Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, who authored the report, said that 95% of bills tested came up positive for amounts of BPA.  It’s more disheartening evidence that avoiding BPA is virtually impossible… no matter how hard we try.

        Researchers found that half of the thermal paper receipts tested had large quantities of unbound BPA; 95% of the dollar bills tested positive for lower amounts.  Unlike BPA in baby bottles and other products, BPA on thermal paper isn’t chemically bound in any way: it’s a powdery film on the surface of receipts.  Data from this report indicate that this highly toxic chemical does rather easily transfer to our skin and likely to other items that it rubs against.  In tests mimicking typical handling of receipts, BPA transferred from receipts to fingers.  Just ten seconds of holding a receipt transferred up to 2.5 micrograms. Researchers transferred much higher amounts, about 15 times as much, by rubbing receipts.

        You can read/download the full report on the Washington Toxics Coalitions website. (PDF)

        WA Toxics has great tips for avoiding BPA but in a nutshell regarding paper money and recipts:

        • Keep receipts/bills seperate in your purse or wallet.  Its been shown that the BPA on receipts is not embedded into the materials like in plastic so, it’s in a powdery film form that can get onto hands and into mouths easier.
        • WASH YOUR HANDS after handling money or receipts.
        • Don’t allow children to handle money or hold receipts, or at the very least wash their hands afterwards.
        • WA Toxics suggests refusing a receipt when you can.  BPA Free receipts are starting to pop up but it’s not all that common yet.

        Now my question is, what about paper checks? Mail? Magazines? Where else can it be lurking?

        Nov

        16

        Holiday Help: Pacific Natural Foods Cream of Mushroom Soup

        Filed Under Bisphenol-A, Food Safety | 8 Comments

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          Last year I did an article about making traditional Thanksgiving recipes a BPA Free makeover.  Many of our holiday favorites require canned ingredients to make them the foods we love during the holidays.  In my own effort to stop using all canned food items in my life (which has been really easy – I haven’t bought a can of anything in over a year) I published a few ideas to replace the required “can of mushroom soup” from green bean casseroles.  At the time, I could not find cream of mushroom soup in anything other than in a can so my solution was to a) use cream of celery, which was easier to find in a box or b) make your own.  Suggesting to someone who is hosting T-Day dinner might laugh in my face over that one.

          Pacific Natural Foods to the rescue.  They have recently release 3 new condensed  soups that can round out your recipes for the holidays or any other of your traditional favorite meals.  Their new condensed soups include Cream of Mushroom (finally!), Cream of Celery and Cream of Chicken.  Hooray!

          Bonus? They’re all USDA Certified Organic and are packaged in a BPA Free aseptic box. Now before you ask: There is a layer of aluminum, however the aluminum is not in contact with the soups (its there to protect the soup from light to eliminate the need for added preservatives) and the two inner most layers are made of polyethylene, which is a BPA Free food grade plastic. The boxes are also recyclable in some areas. I much prefer this over a can if I need to purchase prepared soups.  If you’re not comfortable with the plastic you can always make your own – no harm in that.  But in a pinch I think these are a great and healthy alternative.  Sorry, Campbells.

          In case anyone is interested, they make a great low sodium Organic Creamy Tomato Soup too – it’s my favorite!

          Nov

          3

          General Mills Muir Glen Ditching BPA in Canned Tomatoes But…

          Filed Under Articles, Bisphenol-A | 12 Comments

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            I ran over an article at the same time that my friend from Ely Organics did on Facebook and we were questioning the accuracy of the information.  So of course we started digging around and I decided to give Muir Glen a call to get clarification.  Or at least as much clarification as a helpful customer service rep is allowed to give me.

            The article in question, published in The Independant on November 1st said (amongst other things)

            “General Mills, the US giant behind the Green Giant tinned brand, has already ditched BPA from its Muir Glen tomato range, while Campbell Soups says it has done “hundreds” of tests exploring alternatives.”

            While this is definitely good news, it’s also kind of a sweeping statement that leaves more questions than comforting answers.  A quick look at the Muir Glen website reveals a statement made by the company informing us that they will be transitioning to BPA free cans.

            “Muir Glen has been working diligently with our can suppliers to develop and test alternative linings that do not use BPA, and we have successfully identified and tested an alternative that has proven safe and viable in our processing of tomatoes. We are transitioning to cans with liners that do not use BPA as we are canning this year’s tomato harvest.”

            Great! But…. still, we’re left with the following questions: Are they on the shelves now? If not how will I know? When will the new cans BE on the shelves? and the million dollar question “What is the new lining made of?”  What if it ends up being worse than BPA?  Once upon a time BPA was “safe and viable” We know where that got us. So I called and here’s what I found out:

            The 411: According to customer service rep I spoke to, who was quite helpful told me that the new harvest of tomatoes will be packaged in the new BPA Free lined cans.  The new BPA free canned tomatoes are not yet on the shelves.  They will also not be labelled BPA Free.  I asked “How will customers know which ones are which?”  He told me they will eventually be given a date of production and that all cans made after that date will be packaged in the BPA free cans.  As of right now they do not have that date of production available. The rep recommended I call back in February to obtain a date of production.

            I also inquired about the new lining and all he was able to tell me was that it was a BPA Free non-epoxy lining.  Not entirely helpful but it was all he knew for now. I worry that a new lining will just lead to the same situation all over again that we have now with BPA.  What is it? How did they test it? This is what keeps me up at night.  I’m weird like that.

            I was a little surprised when he asked me if I would like the cans to be labeled BPA Free.  I practically screamed YES into his ear and he said he would pass that information along to the company.  Hopefully is enough of us ask for it, that might actually happen and it will catch wind with other canned food makers.

            Mar

            9

            Batter Blaster Organic Pancake Batter: BPA in Packaging?

            Filed Under Bisphenol-A, Food Safety | 11 Comments

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              My husband came home from a grocery shopping trip not long ago and he had a look of total excitement and triumph on his face.  “Look what I found!” he said as he handed me a whipped cream can looking item.  It was the new Batter Blaster that I keep hearing about. At first glance I thought “What a cool idea!” and truthfully, it is a pretty cool concept. Organic batter in a can? Yes please!  But of course, the SafeMama in me wasn’t totally convinced that the can that held this precious certified organic product was BPA free.  So I set out to find the answer.

              I checked their website first and while their product information tells us the can is totally recyclable (although I’m told you have to check with your local recycling center to see whether you can actually recycle it on your area) but there was no mention of BPA.  This always is a red flag for me.  Typically, companies who offer organic food or safer products have a BPA free logo or address it in their FAQ’s because who wouldn’t want to leverage that angle? Its marketing…. if its BPA Free (by accident or otherwise) you want people to know.  Since it was missing from an easy access place like their company website I had a feeling I wasnt going to be pleasantly surprised.

              However, I did speak to a company representative and my question “Does the can contain BPA?” was answered.  The answer? Yes, and No.

              According to Batter Blaster, the cans they were using did contain BPA in the epoxy lining of the metal interior.  No surprise there. Of course they assured me it was within FDA regulation limits and was well below the allowable BPA content.  You know that isn’t good enough for SafeMama.  BPA Free or I don’t buy it.  BUT, Batter Blaster recently changed their cans to a BPA Free one.  So all the new Batter Blaster’s coming into stores are in the new BPA Free steel cans.  Hooray!  But hold on a minute…

              My next question was “Ok so are there still cans in stores right now in the old BPA containing packaging?“  The answer that I concluded from our conversation was Yes.  Batter Blaster rolled out their new BPA Free packaging but they are still selling the older style cans (I can assume until they run out of it).  I asked how I would be able to tell the difference and Batter Blaster told me that the older cans look like the ones featured on their website (See the homepage).

              • The old package/can  has a “lip” or a “rim” near the top (See inset).  The newer packaging does not and appears more streamlined.
              • Batter Blaster told me that the cans only have a shelf life of a few months so anything marked with an expiration date of April 2010 or later would be in the new BPA Free  packaging.

              So I pulled out the can my husband brought home and flipped it over.  April 2010.  But it was in an old style can with the rim she described.  So perhaps a better gauge will be the new style of packaging (which I cannot find a photo of but will post if I see one).

              Right now the Batter Blasters in my local store all have the BPA style packaging so I can only assume that these have not been sold out enough to warrant ordering in the new packaged cans yet, despite the April 2010 expiration dates.  So I may wait a while before I purchase it again.

              Update: Here is a photo of what the new BPA Free packaging looks like:

              Thanks Schmedley for pointing me to it.

              Feb

              11

              Cheat Sheet: Natural Toothpaste & BPA Free Toothbrushes For Kids

              Filed Under ** Cheat Sheets!, Bisphenol-A, Product Safety, PVC Free | 12 Comments

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                We get a lot of questions about toothpaste and fluoride and “my Dentist says my son needs fluoride drops”  here and I am still kind of wishy washy about fluoride.  Especially after having read the great articles on SAFBaby regarding Fluoride… it really makes you wonder whether it’s the best thing.  Whether you are anti or pro fluoride, you might also be concerned with the other ingredients in toothpaste such as: sodium lauryl sulfate, parabens, artificial colors, and triclosan. Here’s a quickie Cheat Sheet based on the natural toothpastes for kids we have tried or know of that are free of the ingredients in question. I figured a new list of BPA Free toothbrushes was appropriate too.

                Last updated: April 13, 2011

                Natural Toothpastes

                • Weleda Tooth Gel (Fluoride Free) – Skin Deep Rating: 3
                • Kiss My Face Kids Toothpaste (Fluoride and Fluoride Free): Sweetened with Stevia – Skin Deep Rating: 3 (w/ Fluoride: 4)
                • Toms of Maine (Fluoride and Fluoride Free): NOTE: The only caveat with this one is that it  contains sodium lauryl sulfate so if that’s a problem for you skip it and try one of the other brands. – Skin Deep Rating: 3 (w/ Fluoride: 4)
                • Burt’s Bees Kids Toothpaste (Fluoride and Fluoride Free) – Skin Deep Rating: 1 (old formulation)
                • Green Beaver Natural Toothpaste (Fluoride Free) – Skin Deep Rating: 2
                • Jason Natural Cosmetics Orange Kids Only Toothpaste: (Fluoride and Fluoride Free)  Certified organic, wheat and gluten free – Skin Deep Rating: 2 (w/ Fluoride: N/A)
                • Natural Dentist (Fluoride and Fluoride Free) – Skin Deep: 4 – They only have a rating for the kids toothpaste with Fluoride
                • Miessence Organics Toothpaste (Fluoride Free) - Skin Deep Rating (0-1)
                • Toothsoap (Fluoride Free)
                • Dr. Nate’s Natural Toothpaste (Xylitol instead of Fluoride)

                (Note: It was just pointed out to me that some aluminum toothpaste tubes may contain BPA so depending on whether recyclable vs possible traces of BPA is your concern, you can make that call.

                Make Your Own

                Our friends at LuSa Organics (they make awesome soaps and body care… I live for their body scrubs) posted a great blog post and tutorial for making your own toothpaste.  Check it out:

                LuSa Organics Homemade Toothpaste

                • 2 tsp Natural Liquid Soap (try unscented Dr. Bronner’s or similar)
                • 4 Tb Coconut Oil
                • 1 Tb Water
                • 2 Tb Xylitol (optional)
                • 1/2 tsp Stevia powder
                • 10-20 drops Peppermint Essential Oil
                • 5-10 drops Spearmint or Sweet Orange Essential Oil

                Boil a small pan of water. Measure out 1 Tb and stir into it Xylitol (optional). Stir to dissolve. Melt coconut oil and add to water mixture. Measure in soap and stevia and blend (a stick blender works well if you have one. Otherwise use your regular blender or whisk by hand like mad).  Blend while the formula cools enough to stay combined. Add essential oils and transfer to a clean squeeze or pump bottle. Cool completely, shake well.

                Read their full post here… make sure to also check out their skincare items…. Looooove!

                BPA / PVC / Phthalate Free Toothbrushes

                Here’s a quick list of the toothbrushes we know of that are BPA and PVC free from our previous search for safer toothbrushes, FAQ: What’s In My Toddlers Toothbrush, along with a couple new ones.

                I *JUST* stumbled onto The Soft Landing’s safer toothbrush finds in their blog. (I should have known Alicia would be on top of this one!)  She says the following are all BPA/PVC/Phthalate Free too:

                Dental Sealants

                many people worry about BPA in dental sealants and it’s a real concern, especially for kids.  Our pediatric dentist uses UltraSeal XT Plus (Made by UltraDent Products. Inc.) which contains no BPA according to the company.  So if your dentist tells you it doesn’t exist, educate them or find a dentist that is up to speed on issues like BPA in dentistry.

                Jan

                19

                FDA Anounces Warning About BPA

                Filed Under Bisphenol-A | 1 Comment

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                  The FDA is finally catching up with the rest of us.  The FDA issued a warning to parents to limit the exposure of BPA in infants and children citing “some concern” about BPA’s effects.  I see a lot of mixed signals with the FDA’s recent statement and it’s mostly due to the fact that BPA is found in so many products aside from baby products (canned food, soda, foil seals, jar lids) that they don’t want to make grand statements.  They’re back-pedaling (2 years ago they announced BPA was perfectly safe)  and planting a seed of doubt in parents minds while they conduct further investigations. (Can you tell I’m annoyed?)

                  This CNN article says it in a nutshell better than I can:

                  The new position is a partial reversal of the FDA’s declaration in 2008 that BPA has no adverse effects. That announcement came under fire from environmental groups that said it relied too heavily on industry-funded research.

                  Since then, the agency says on its Web site, “recent studies have reported subtle effects of low doses of BPA in laboratory animals. While BPA is not proven to harm children or adults, these newer studies have led federal health officials to express some concern about the safety of BPA.”

                  The new position brings the FDA into line with guidance from the National Toxicology Program, which in its own 2008 report said there is “some concern” for BPA’s effects on the brain, behavior and prostate gland, in developing fetuses, infants and children. Other studies have found a possible link to diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but the authors of those studies say it’s not clear the problems were actually caused by BPA.

                  Nov

                  5

                  Consumer Reports Tests Find BPA in Canned Soups, Juice, and More

                  Filed Under Bisphenol-A, Food Safety | 3 Comments

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                    Here we go … BPA in the news again.  I have been wanting to post something about this since I saw it on the evening news the other night.  Consumer Reports just published new findings (but none of it is really news to us) about levels of BPA in canned food.  We knew it was there but how much?  As we know, BPA is not only found in hard plastic but as a component of the epoxy lining in canned food, soda cans, juice cans, baby formula and glass jar lids to name a few.   From the new study:

                    Canned Del Monte Fresh Cut Green Beans Blue Lake had the highest amount of BPA for a single sample in Consumer Reports tests, with levels ranging from 35.9 parts per billion (ppb) to 191 ppb. Progresso Vegetable Soup BPA levels ranged from 67 to 134 ppb. Campbell’s Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup had BPA levels ranging from 54.5 to 102 ppb.

                    Average amounts in tested products varied widely. In most items tested, such as canned corn, chili, tomato sauce, and corned beef, BPA levels ranged from trace amounts to about 32 ppb.

                    Given the significance of BPA exposure for infants and young children, Consumer Reports tested samples of Similac Advance Infant Formula and Nestle Juicy Juice All Natural 100% Apple Juice. The findings revealed:

                    Similac liquid concentrate in a can averaged 9 ppb of BPA, but there was no measurable level in the powdered version.

                    Nestle Juicy Juice in a can averaged 9.7 ppb of BPA, but there were no measurable levels in the samples of the same product packaged in juice boxes.

                    I was surprised to hear that Similac’s powdered formula came back with no measurable levels of BPA, though it’s unclear to me at this point what type of packaging the powdered version was in.  Similac has a new plastic container made of polypropylene but there is a questionable foil seal on the inside that Similac would not comment on whether it had BPA or not (I’m guessing yes or else they would probably have said so).

                    What’s most alarming is that products boasting BPA Free on the label tested with measurable amounts of BPA.  Alarming, but not so surprising. Even items in alternative packaging came back with BPA levels.  Even Eden’s baked beans, which we though were BPA Free came back with a very low level of BPA.

                    We tested two products that their manufacturers claimed were packaged in BPA-free cans and found the chemical in both of the foods. Although tests of the inside of the cans found that the liners were not epoxy-based, Vital Choice’s tuna in “BPA-free” cans was found to contain an average of 20 ppb of BPA and Eden Baked Beans averaged 1 ppb.

                    It’s unclear at this point what levels are safe and what aren’t (though my preference would be for NO safe levels):

                    “The findings are noteworthy because they indicate the extent of potential exposure,” said Dr. Urvashi Rangan, Director of Technical Policy, at Consumers Union, nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports. “Children eating multiple servings per day of canned foods with BPA levels comparable to the ones we found in some tested products could get a dose of BPA near levels that have caused adverse effects in several animal studies. The lack of any safety margin between the levels that cause harm in animals and those that people could potentially ingest from canned foods has been inadequately addressed by the FDA to date.”

                    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is soon expected to announce the findings of its most recent reassessment of the safety of BPA.

                    Read all about it: Consumer Reports Study (use the links on the left side to read the details of the study and the results.

                    Aug

                    28

                    Your SIGG Bottle May Contain BPA

                    Filed Under Bisphenol-A, Product Safety | Comments Off

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                      siggIt’s come to light that some older models of SIGG reusable aluminum water bottles contain BPA in the epoxy lining inside the bottle.  As you may already know, the lining on the interior of SIGG’s has been questioned for some time and many skeptics thought that the epoxy may contain BPA… turns out they were right.  The SIGG company “took to heart” the controversy over BPA and went to work on a new lining that was BPA free.  However there were many SIGG bottles on the market since they developed their new lining, called EcoCare. 

                      Any SIGG Bottle on the market prior to August 2008 has the old epoxy lining, and should BPA be a concern to you then you should replace it with an alternative or a new SIGG with their new EcoCare lining. This inclides the kiddies!   SIGG still maintains that their older models are still “safe” but they spent a lot of money on changing it.  I’d advise anyone with an older SIGG to check it against their website and contact them about a replacement.  They aren’t doing a voluntary recall but we saw a letter from the company on The Consumerist stating they would be handling replacements.

                      Needless to say, we’re disappointed after having supported them in the past that they weren’t forthcoming in the beginning about their materials.  We recommend you try some other alternatives to SIGG reusable bottles as there are many great ones on the market.  We adore the ThinkSport, Thermos Intak and the Klean Kanteen but there are a ton to choose from.  Check out The Soft Landing for a huge selection of reusable water bottles.

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