A new study shows you could be ingesting the chemical Bisphenol A, shown to cause health problems in lab animals, by eating almost any canned food.
The study tested 50 canned products from 19 states including Oregon. It found BPA had leached into the food in 92 percent of the cans tested.
BPA is widely used in the lining of metal cans to extend shelf life. In animal studies, the chemical has been linked to cancer and developmental problems, and according the new research pregnant women are most at-risk.
New mother Liz Menke says she consumed canned food through-out her pregnancy.
She says one of the most alarming findings is that BPA levels varied dramatically even between cans of the same product.
"When I find this out that there's no way that I can even know how much BPA is leaching into my food into my body through breast milk ... this is something that quite disturbing to me," said Menke.
The Oregon Environmental Council, which took part in the study says one the cans that tested highest for levels of BPA was from Oregon. It says nothing on any any of the cans alerts consumers that BPA is contained in the can's lining.
"It's the exposure to young children and unborn children that are going to have the biggest impact," said Renee Hackenmiller-Paradis, the council's program director for environmental health.
The Grocery Manufacturers of America points out that BPA has been used in cans for decades and has been shown to be safe in low levels.
Still, several states including Washington have passed laws restricting use of BPA. The Oregon Environmental Council is pushing for similar legislation in Oregon.
