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The Hazards of Aluminum Can Lining

Entire aisles of grocery stores are filled with tons of food stored in aluminum cans. Recent studies have shown that the linings used in most aluminum cans contain a chemical known as Bisphenol A, linked to negative health affects in the brain and in children. Understand the risks of aluminum can liners and your alternatives.

  1. Lining

    • Nearly all aluminum cans have a plastic lining, or epoxy resin, applied to the surface of the aluminum. This includes canned fruits, vegetables, and drinks like soda and beer. This lining is applied to prevent foods and their acids from reacting with the aluminum and degrading the cans. Because many canned foods and beverages are designed to have long shelf lives, they need plastic linings to prevent cans from leaking and spoiling the food inside.

    Bisphenol A

    • Since the early 1960s, Bisphenol A, or BPA, has been added to hard plastics and epoxy resins, such as those used in aluminum can liners. Initial toxicity tests of BPA showed that it did not pose a significant health risk to consumers. However, in 2008 the National Toxicology Control Program Center released a study that linked BPA exposure to negative health effects on "the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and children."

    Health Hazards

    • As of 2011, the FDA has not ruled against the use of BPA in the liners of aluminum cans. According to the FDA, research has not established a significant health risk of BPA through exposure from aluminum cans. The FDA bases this position on high levels of inaccuracies and varying interpretations of current BPA research data, though they do note that they promote research into alternative forms of liners in aluminum cans that eliminate the use of BPA.

    Considerations

    • When possible, you may consider choosing foods that do not come from aluminum cans, if such an alternative is available. Alternatives to aluminum canned foods are glass and BPA-free polycarbonate. The FDA does not suggest that families change the use of infant formula or foods, as the nutrition benefits of these foods outweighs the potential risk from BPA exposure.

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