7 Companies You Can Trust to Use BPA-Free Cans

Here's a startling, almost amazing fact. Eden Organic has been canning beans since 1999 in BPA (bisphenol-A) free cans. For a decade. Concerns about BPA keep mounting - in January the FDA reversed its 2008 stance to say it was "concerned" about BPA and recommended limited exposure. So why don't all food manufacturers follow Eden's lead? It's a persistance problem, says Eden's Sue Becker. And, of course, a money issue - BPA-free cans are available, but they cost approximately 2.2 cents more (14%) than cans with standard BPA epoxy liners. More recently, at least six other foods have been switched to BPA-free cans. Read on to find out which ones.

1. Eden Makes A Hill of Beans BPA Free.

Apart from Eden, Native Forest and Trader Joe's, all of the other food manufacturers that have made the transition to BPA-free can liners are premium "sustainable" seafood producers. One reason for that is that canned premium seafood is a priced a bit higher than the average can of corn, so that the price premium of 2.2 cents more for BPA free cans doesn't make or break the sale. Vital Choice cans MSC-certified salmon as well as albacore tuna, sardines and mackerel with BPA free liners.

2. Vital Choice Made the Choice and Pays the Price.

3,4,5. Oregon's Choice, Wild Planet, Eco Fish
Oregon's Choice canned last season's catch of lightly salted MSC certified Albacore (6 oz.) in BPA free cans, and the company says it will over the course of the next two years move all of its canned fish to BPA free. That will be a little more challenging with the company's crab and shrimp, which has lemon juice added to retain fresh color in the seafood but disintegrates the non-BPA can liners more quickly. Still, the company is confident that though the can industry was slow to innovate around BPA-free, there will be solutions in the pipeline soon even for more acidic foods. No BPA free labels here either. 4.

6. Trader Joe's Tells Little, Does More
. It is sometimes hard to know whether to be infuriated or pleased with the Trader Joe's approach to food retailing. Stories abound about some of TJ's practices - clear information at the company's web site does not. But a call to TJ's customer relations reveals that canned corn, canned beans, canned fish, canned poultry, and canned beef at Trader Joe's are all packaged in BPA free cans. However, any other products that contain corn or beans or fish, etc. and other items - for example in soups or chilis - are not in BPA free cans, the company said. No labeling here, either.

7. Native Forest and Native Factor.
Edward & Sons has at least a dozen different products in BPA free cans - apart from Eden one of the largest selections out there, and with a good variety of exotic, something organic, sometimes sustainably produced fruits and vegetables, as well as the only canned coconut milk that uses a BPA free can. While there's no labeling on these BPA free foodstuffs, and very little information on the web site. the company has confirmed that 14 products have been in BPA free cans since last summer - as long as you purchase Native Forest or Native Factor brands the canned goods are BPA free.