Health Canada finds bisphenol A in soft drinks

[CHIMO]

Source: CBC News

A Health Canada study of canned pop has found the vast majority of the drinks contain the chemical bisphenol A, a substance that imitates the female hormone estrogen and is banned in baby bottles.

Out of 72 drinks tested, 69 were found to contain BPA at levels below what Health Canada says is the safe upper limit. However, studies in peer-reviewed science journals have indicated that even at very low doses, BPA can increase breast and ovarian cancer cell growth and the growth of some prostate cancer cells in animals.



Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/03/05/popcans.html

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Tests find Bisphenol A in majority of soft drinks

The estrogen-mimicking chemical BPA, already banished from baby bottles and frowned upon in water jugs, has now shown up in significant levels in soft drinks.

Tests by Health Canada scientists revealed the highest levels were in energy drinks, the often caffeine-loaded beverages that have become popular with teenagers seeking a buzz and athletes chasing a quick pick-me-up. But the study also found the controversial compound in a wide variety of ginger ales, diet colas, root beers and citrus-flavoured sodas.

Bisphenol A was detected in 96 per cent of soft drinks tested, in quantities below regulatory limits. But a growing body of science suggests the chemical may have harmful effects at levels far below those limits.

Health Canada did not disclose the brand names of the beverages it evaluated, but estimated that the survey covered at least 84 per cent of canned soft drinks sold in Canada.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090304.wbpacans0305/BNStory/National/home

[paulsby]

1. environmental estrogens

are a huge concern.

both men and women have estrogen in their systems (men get it from aromatase enzyme applied to testosterone), but exogenously introduced estrogen, resulting in higher serum levels causes issues.

i try to avoid, in general, a lot of plastic packaging (and especially microwaving same) for the same reason.

estrogen is different from testosterone in that it is highly ORALLY bioavailable. furthermore, it can be present in fair amounts in urine, which means unless it is filtered out, it can even be present in the water supply.

[McCamy Taylor]

2. How do canned soft drinks get it? Do they store the ingredients in plastic?

[Gormy Cuss]

3. The cans of some soft drinks are lined and that's the suspected source of the BPA n/t

[CHIMO]

4. From The Second

Article
Soft-drink cans are treated with a BPA-containing liner to prevent drinks from coming into contact with metal.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090304.wbpacans0305/BNStory/National/home

So the cans have a thin lining of the plastic. It is the same thing as if it were made of the plastic.