Study Shows Consumption of Canned Soup Increases BPA Levels

What is BPA?

BPA is a type of chemical that disrupts endocrine function. This substance is used in the lining of metal food and drink cans, in polycarbonate bottles, as well as in dentistry composites and sealants. BPA has been associated with a number of medical conditions like diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease in humans and has been shown to hold up reproductive development in animals.

Harvard School of Public Health’s Findings on BPA

For the study, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health looked at 75 volunteers in two groups. One group was made to consume a 12-ounce serving of vegetarian canned soup daily for a period of five days while the other group consumed the same amount of fresh vegetarian soup every day for the same duration. Then for another five days, the groups switched the type of soup they consumed.

The researchers found that consuming canned soup every day was linked to a more than 1,200 percent increase in BPA levels in the urine, compared to intake of fresh soup.

The new study was released online Nov. 22 and appears in the Nov. 23 print issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

In a news release issued by the university, lead author Jenny Carwile, a doctoral student in Harvard School of Public Health’s epidemiology department, said that studies in the past have associated increased levels of BPA with adverse health effects. “The next step was to figure out how people are getting exposed to BPA. We’ve known for a while that drinking beverages that have been stored in certain hard plastics can increase the amount of BPA in your body. This study suggests that canned foods may be an even greater concern, especially given their wide use,” she said.

More Research is Needed

Carwile and her team noted that the increase in BPA levels in the urine may not be permanent and mentioned that more research is essential in order to find out how long the elevation persists.

In the news release, senior study author Karin Michels, an associate professor in the epidemiology department, said that the scale of the increase in urinary BPA levels that they found after consuming just a single serving of canned soup was not expected and may be cause for concern among people who consume canned foods on a regular basis or drink canned beverages every day. “It may be advisable for manufacturers to consider eliminating BPA from can linings,” she added.

According to the study authors, the increase may be short-lived and further research is called for.