BPA and other Toxins

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EquALLity
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BPA and other Toxins

Post by EquALLity »

Awhile ago, I started buying beans from Trader Joe's because they don't use BPA in their cans, while mainstream companies like Goya do.

Do you guys avoid BPA? Some recent studies have concluded it's safer than we previously thought, but other scientists say those studies are flawed because they don't account for things like brain development.
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/201 ... sn-t-risky

The FDA says the amount of BPA allowed in foods is safe, but then WebMD says:
What does BPA do to us? We still don't really know, since we don't have definitive studies of its effects in people yet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration used to say that BPA was safe. But in 2010 the agency altered its position. The FDA maintains that studies using standardized toxicity tests have shown BPA to be safe at the current low levels of human exposure. But based on other evidence -- largely from animal studies -- the FDA expressed "some concern" about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate glands in fetuses, infants, and young children.
Hm, yeah. I think I'll play it safe and try to avoid BPA.

What do you guys think? Are there other toxins you try to avoid?
"I am not a Marxist." -Karl Marx
Cinereous
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Re: BPA and other Toxins

Post by Cinereous »

The food industry was mostly quite bitter about altering their plastic source. It costs a LOT of money to implement even minor changes, and when there are conflicting studies people become more resistant.

I avoid BPA, honestly. Polypropylene is generally regarded as the safest plastic for heating (#5 on the mold), however I really dislike heating anything in plastic. I am a scientist, but I still want to take caution. Sometimes PP even starts to show wear after a few uses depending on the food used... I don't like the idea of anything actually flaking off into my food either.

For example, melamine DOES leach into food when heated. This explains why there are instructions on every piece to not heat melamine in the microwave (plus it will often crack). HDPE and PET are also regarded as being unsafe to heat alongside styrofoam (polystyrene).

Absorption can be higher with acidic foods or foods high in fat. Please note that cans are processed under pressure in a retort at 250F/121C for a certain amount of time, with a prolonged heating and cooler period before and after that temperature hold. This is to ensure the bacterial spores that cause botulism (Clostridium botulinum) are killed. So in this case the plastic lining would be heated to extreme levels.

When there is conflicting evidence it is generally better to err on the side of caution. I do this, too. Glass all the way. ;) I am less concerned with foods that remain cold in plastic and avoid heating during production. Also, PLEASE note that I haven't researched this as much recently, but my opinion will likely remain the same.
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brimstoneSalad
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Re: BPA and other Toxins

Post by brimstoneSalad »

I'm hesitant to heat things in plastic, although if it says microwave safe and it's been used for a while, I'm less so.
EquALLity wrote: Hm, yeah. I think I'll play it safe and try to avoid BPA.
You are not of the set "fetuses, infants, and young children."

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Or, buy dry beans and soak them, then cook them. Most of the beans I eat are from dry, unless I'm in a hurry or forgot to make some.
A big glass pickle jar or tupperware container or something is good to soak in, then they keep for around a week in the fridge.
EquALLity wrote:What do you guys think? Are there other toxins you try to avoid?
Aflatoxin. That's pretty much it. Definitely never buy organic peanut butter, and get very peanut butter from bulk bins. If something is moldy, play it safe.

Other things are harder to assess.
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Re: BPA and other Toxins

Post by Cinereous »

brimstoneSalad wrote:Aflatoxin. That's pretty much it. Definitely never buy organic peanut butter, and get very peanut butter from bulk bins. If something is moldy, play it safe.

Aflatoxin levels are monitored by food companies. The upper limit is higher in the US for some other countries (last time I checked), but most companies have much stricter standards than the legal upper limit.
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brimstoneSalad
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Re: BPA and other Toxins

Post by brimstoneSalad »

Cinereous wrote:
brimstoneSalad wrote:Aflatoxin. That's pretty much it. Definitely never buy organic peanut butter, and get very peanut butter from bulk bins. If something is moldy, play it safe.

Aflatoxin levels are monitored by food companies. The upper limit is higher in the US for some other countries (last time I checked), but most companies have much stricter standards than the legal upper limit.
I'd rather not eat the upper limit. Organic peanutbutter likely contains higher levels due to lack of modern fungicides. Anything from a bulk bin or the "fresh" peanut butter grinders in stores probably has even higher levels, because storage and handling on that level is poorly regulated (or not at all).

The most reliable are probably conventional peanuts and peanut butter from the big companies and producers. I would not trust an "organic" brand.
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Re: BPA and other Toxins

Post by Cinereous »

From my exposure with my company, our acceptable level is maybe 75% lower (or lower) than what is legal. You are definitely right when it comes to bulk bins! I don't worry much about organic peanut butter, and yes, larger companies will have strict standards... they have more to lose!!

Regardless, most food sources are compiled, so it is hard to truly prevent contamination. Natural peanut butter would generally come from conventional peanuts (otherwise it would be called organic), so no worries about your organic concerns. With organic the trade-off would be pesticide residue. I also refrigerate peanut butter, which I learned later on helps. I chill many of my foods to prevent oxidation and off flavors, actually.
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brimstoneSalad
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Re: BPA and other Toxins

Post by brimstoneSalad »

Cinereous wrote:Natural peanut butter would generally come from conventional peanuts (otherwise it would be called organic), so no worries about your organic concerns.
"Natural" peanut butter is fine. That's just without palm or hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated oil, and often without sugar.
However, there is organic peanut butter: that's what I'm talking about, and it is a high risk.
Cinereous wrote:With organic the trade-off would be pesticide residue.
That's a myth. Organic foods typically use more pesticide, not less, because the pesticide is less effective against insects despite being more poisonous to humans. The pesticides are just of an older generation, and are "natural" which means nothing in terms of safety (it actually means they're more dangerous since they're not well tested or regulated). Conventional crops can spray a much smaller amount of modern pesticides which are safer to human beings and more useful against insects in a smaller amount.

So, not only will you get more cancer causing aflatoxin in organic peanuts, you'll get more pesticides, AND more dangerous pesticide too.

I try to avoid organic products in general. Unfortunately, many vegan products are contaminated with them, so I can't always avoid it. I'm not obsessive about it; I'll eat organic if there's no other option.
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Re: BPA and other Toxins

Post by Cinereous »

I promise that it really just depends! Natural doesn't mean anything in terms of safety, I get that. I have studied agriculture to some extent, and there can be a lot of inconsistencies between farmers, buyers, and suppliers. Also, my comment about natural peanut butter wasn't necessarily for you, just good for the general public to know, as there is a large misconception there. The palm oil keeps it stabilized, and then there are peanut butters without any oil/stabilizers added, which I know you know, too. Hope no offense was taken here?

I may follow up with some people at work who analyze this, but this would then be relative to only some brands.
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EquALLity
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Re: BPA and other Toxins

Post by EquALLity »

brimstoneSalad wrote:You are not of the set "fetuses, infants, and young children."

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Or, buy dry beans and soak them, then cook them. Most of the beans I eat are from dry, unless I'm in a hurry or forgot to make some.
A big glass pickle jar or tupperware container or something is good to soak in, then they keep for around a week in the fridge.
Good point. I can go back to eating my favorite lentil soup now. :D
brimstoneSalad wrote:Aflatoxin. That's pretty much it. Definitely never buy organic peanut butter, and get very peanut butter from bulk bins. If something is moldy, play it safe.

Other things are harder to assess.
Thanks for the info, I've never heard of that.

Unfortunately, most peanut butter has trans fat (hiding it with serving size rule technicalities, and just identifying it sometimes as 'hydrogenated oils', not specifying if it's 'partially hydrogenated [trans fat] or 'fully hydrogenated' [saturated fat]), or it has palm oil, so I mostly avoid it anyway.

I did find a peanut butter of only peanuts, specifically labeled 'palm oil free', so I've been using that a little bit. Not sure if it's organic or not.
"I am not a Marxist." -Karl Marx
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