HEINZ
has been criticised by environmentalists after admitting lining its food cans
with a chemical thought to mimic female hormones, writes Jonathan
Leake.
In animal experiments researchers have found that the chemical,
bisphenol A, can cause early puberty in females and may reduce the growth of
reproductive tissues in young males.
"This chemical is a known endocrine
disruptor and is found in a range of other common domestic products besides
Heinz's tins," said Dr Michael Warhurst who is leading a Friends of the Earth
campaign to highlight the issue. "It is one of many chemicals to which we are
constantly exposed and which are increasingly linked with various
illnesses."
Heinz confirmed that it uses very small amounts of bisphenol
A to line the lids of cans fitted with ring-pull openers, including baked bean
cans. The chemical helps to prevent such tins from corroding or releasing tin
into the food.
Bisphenol A and most other endocrine disrupting chemicals
are known toxins at high levels. The argument is about whether or not they are
dangerous in very low levels, when they are known as
micropollutants.
Heinz says it accepts that tiny amounts of bisphenol A
may leach into its foods, but says levels are far below what is needed to cause
any biological effect. "The levels are in parts per million or parts per
billion, so small as to be almost undetectable," said a spokesman.
Tin
cans are just one of many potential sources of bisphenol A. The metal is also
used in soft plastics, pesticides, dental products and some baby
bottles.
A 1999 study by American researchers found that bisphenol A
could mimic the sex hormone estradiol. Mice exposed before birth to the
chemical, in amounts correlating with typical human exposures, suffered changes
in postnatal growth and early puberty in females.
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