Do your research, avoid lead, bpa in canned goods

Not many are aware that lead, used to solder cans, can be harmful if it comes contact with the food, says Dr Blonz

DEAR DR. BLONZ: Besides fresh and frozen vegetables, I often use canned, especially tomatoes. I buy organic when available, and periodically they are imported. I recall lead solder used to be used in many brands of canned foods, mainly the imported ones. This type of solder seemed especially dangerous for acidic foods like tomatoes. Does the fact that the can is airtight make it safer, or are protective substances added to make it so the food won’t react with the metal? — F.S., San Jose,

California

DEAR F.S.: Cans used to be made in three pieces: top, bottom and the cylindrical body, all soldered together into the familiar shape. Lead is an ideal soldering material, but its use where there would be contact with foods turned out to be risky business when we learned of its toxic effects in the human body. Lead is hazardous during pregnancy, infancy and childhood.

Domestically produced cans were the first to stop using lead solder; canned food manufacturers in the U.S. reported having stopped using it by 1991. Cans are now welded together or extruded into a two-piece shape that eliminates the need for the side seam. In all cases, the can materials are formulated to inhibit the leaching of metal ions into the food — even when the goods inside are acidic. This sometimes involves using an enamel or vinyl liner substance designed to not react with the contents.

Food companies in developing countries have moved toward lead-free cans, bu is difficult to say that all there yet. For those cans, Food and Dr Administration has action level of 250 parts billion of lead in the food level considered to be safe a can exceeds that level can be seized by the FDA.

Although this may prov some comfort, it’s not a s ty guarantee. It is pruden check the labels on a imported canned food, es cially if it is one you wo be purchasing on a regu basis. If there is no inform tion on the label or prod website, check with the s plier. Another option is to test kits with swabs that tu a particular color wh exposed to lead. These in pensive kits, good to h around the house, can used on cans, pottery, crys pitchers or any food-cont surface you want to exami

While not raised in y question, another substa raising concern in food c tainers is bisphenol known as BPA, which is of used in can-lining materi (Learn more about BPA b.link/dzukfd.)

The FDA regulates h much BPA can be prese and no longer permits its in packaging and contain that will hold materials infants. Manufacturers c tinue to phase out the use BPA in cans; for more, see article from Environmental Work Group at b.link/48wu35.

(Ed Blonz, PH.D., is a nu

tion scientist and an as tant clinical professor at University of California, S

Francis