| The Environmental Working Group or EWG | | | | compound. |
| spearheaded the study of Bisphenol A or BPA in | | | | Other studies have supported EWG's findings. In |
| canned goods sold in the US back in 2007. BPA is | | | | fact, other reviews found out that Bisphenol A |
| either a resin or a plastic ingredient that is being | | | | can be toxic even at low doses. It can result to |
| used to line metal cans. These cans in turn are | | | | health problems including infertility, breast cancer |
| being used to store a wide assortment of food | | | | and prostate cancer. And since the FDA |
| and drinks being sold in the market today. | | | | estimates that around 17% of the American diet |
| The results of this particular study showed that | | | | contains canned foods, there is a dire need for |
| there is a toxic ingredient associated with the lining | | | | these items to undergo BPA testing. |
| on the food-can. This in turn resulted to birth | | | | How is the BPA testing done? |
| defects not only in the female reproductive | | | | The BPA testing can be done at home. All you |
| system but in the male reproductive system as | | | | need to do is purchase a BPA indicator swab. You |
| well. These goods include a wide variety of | | | | will also need two disposable plastic cups, a |
| samples including canned fruits and vegetables, | | | | disposable plastic plate, ethanol rubbing alcohol, |
| soda and other most commonly eaten canned | | | | de-ionized water and two additional cotton swabs. |
| goods by the public today. | | | | With these items on hand, you can use the |
| BPA results showed by this study | | | | following steps: |
| EWG saw alarming results with the BPA testing | | | | 1. Place the product you want to test inside a cup |
| that they have done on a variety of canned | | | | of boiling water. Leave it there for 5 minutes. |
| goods. The company found out that: | | | | 2. Soak one cotton swab in rubbing alcohol. Make |
| 1. Highest levels of BPA were found in infant and | | | | sure that the swab is not dripping wet. Rub the |
| chicken soup formulas. If a woman or a child is | | | | swab against the product for at least one minute. |
| exposed to at least a serving of these formulas, | | | | Afterwards, allow the swab to dry up. |
| the tendency is that she will acquire some serious | | | | 3. Use the other cup to soak the Bisphenol A |
| side effects. | | | | indicator swab in water. Do this until the indicator |
| 2. A ration of 1:10 food cans and 1:3 infant | | | | dissolves. Place the solution on the plastic plate. |
| formula cans showed that a single serving will be | | | | 4. Using the dried cotton swab which was |
| enough for women or infants to get exposed to | | | | previously rubbed against the product, you can |
| higher BPA levels. In fact, the results showed that | | | | now test for BPA. Soak that dried swab inside |
| the BPA level is 200 times more than the safety | | | | the solution. Testable levels of BPA are present if |
| level of exposure that the government has set | | | | the swab's color changes to either blue or green |
| for industrial chemicals. | | | | or purple within 1 to 10 minutes. Otherwise, the |
| 3. This industrial compound was already detected | | | | product is Bisphenol free. |
| in over 2,000 people globally. The EWG also found | | | | Aside from the home test kit, the Environmental |
| out that 95% or 380 out of the 400 people they | | | | Protection Agency (EPA) requires screening-level |
| tested in the United States were positive with this | | | | reviews for Bisphenol A. |