Campbell Soup Co. disclosed its plan to complete a transition to cans which do not use Bisphenol A (BPA) linings by the middle of 2017. The company began using cans with linings made from acrylic or polyester materials in March 2016 and will continue to introduce the new linings across its U.S. and Canadian portfolio through 2017.
Campbell first announced its intention to move away from BPA linings in February 2012, in response to consumer feedback. Since then, Campbell has tested hundreds of alternatives. As the company has stated previously, the transition faced a number of technical challenges. This included identifying linings that would ensure the safety of more than 600 different recipes, such as its tomato-based products, which are naturally acidic and can react with some linings over time.
BPA has been widely used in metal food packaging for more than 40 years and is one of the safest packaging options in the world. This is confirmed by extensive scientific studies and regulations put in place by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and many international regulatory agencies.
Editors Insight: Removing BPA from packages has become a safety issue in the food and beverage industry in light of studies indicating BPA is an endocrine disrupter. Packaging science, however, is not a simple matter. Campbell’s own press release notes that BPA has been used in food packaging for more than 40 years and regulatory agencies have deemed it to be safe.
Alternative acrylic or polyester materials that Campbell mentions as replacement package materials don’t come without concerns. Some BPA replacements don’t get high marks in all categories of performance and safety, according to Chemical Engineering News.
Food innovation is continuously evolving. As consumers call for more natural ingredients, food manufacturers sometime have to consider new product packaging on account of the new ingredients. 3-30-16 By Elliot Maras
