Study Links Canned Soup to BPA Spike in Humans

A recent Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) study has allegedly linked
canned soup consumption to increased urinary bisphenol A (BPA) levels
in humans. Jenny Carwile, et al., “Canned Soup Consumption and Urinary
Bisphenol A: A Randomized Crossover Trial,” Journal of the American Medical
Association, November 2011. According to a November 22, 2011, HSPH press
release, researchers analyzed urinary BPA levels in 75 volunteers who first
consumed one 12-ounce serving of canned vegetable soup for five days and
then one 12-ounce serving of fresh vegetable soup for five days, or vice versa.
The results evidently indicated that one serving of canned soup daily “was
associated with a 1,221 percent increase in BPA compared to levels in urine
collected after consumption of fresh soup.”

Although the study authors acknowledged that further research is necessary
to determine the duration of the BPA spike, they nevertheless found that
“the magnitude of the rise in urinary BPA after just one serving of soup was
unexpected” and raised concerns about consumers who regularly eat canned
foods. “Previous studies have linked elevated BPA levels with adverse health
effects,” said lead author Jenny Carwile. “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.”