List of BPA-free Canned Food Options

BPA-free Canned Food Options

by Alicia

We’ve talked extensively about BPA-based epoxy linings commonly used in aluminum cans, especially in regards to finding BPA-free tomatoes.  It was a difficult task because of their acidic nature, but we finally found Pomi.  Not even Eden Organics, the leader of the pack, has found a way to go BPA-free in the canned tomato category just yet.
During our tomato treasure hunt, we gathered a decent sized list of all BPA-free canned foods currently available.  Hopefully this list will continue to grow with the possibility of new BPA-free lining alternatives like this one made from sugar.
BPA-free Canned Food Options

• Eden organic beans (all of them, including chili, rice & beans, etc.).  UPDATE 1/20/11:  Eden Foods Finds a Better Solution to BPA-lined Cans for Tomatoes and Sauces
• Trader Joe’s canned corn, beans, meat products, canned fruits and vegetables (including tomatoes, and organic pumpkin (as of 2012) but NOT mandarins, hatch chilies, artichokes, organic baked beans).  All canned soups and stews are still in BPA lined cans
• Vital Choice Seafood (salmon, albacore tuna, sardines and mackerel;  they test for all endocrine disruptors, not just BPA)
• Muir Glen tomatoes (We confirmed with Muir Glen in December 2011 that all of last season’s tomatoes have been transitioned to BPA-free cans)
• Bionaturae Tomato Paste and Strained Tomatoes (the products packaged in glass jars only; lids are lined with a BPA-free epoxy)
• Aseptic packaging (like Tetra Pak cartons/bricks) are also BPA-free.  These packages are made of 70% paperboard combined with aluminum foil and thin layers of LDPE (low density polyethylene) for the food contact surface.  Read about BPA-free Pomi tomatoes in aseptic packaging here.
• Oregon’s Choice (6oz lightly salted albacore and the company is working toward going BPA-free with their crab and shrimp too)
• Wild Planet (5oz skipjack tuna and its 5oz albacore tuna)
• Native Forest/Native Factor (all canned foods, including the only canned coconut milk that uses a BPA-free can – which happens to the brand I’ve been using for years – yeah!)
• Crown Prince (see full list here)
• Hunt’s Tomatoes (plain tomatoes only)
• Nature’s One Organic powdered baby formula

Fresh produce and dried beans are still your best bet.  Frozen produce is a good second choice because they’re usually harvested when ripe, heated for a shorter time and immediately frozen.
P.S.  We recently spoke to Two Guys in Vermont and they make tomato products that come in glass jars and although the lids do contain BPA though there is a lining that separates between.
P.P.S.  You won’t believe it, but Campbell’s is going BPA-free too!  Read more about it here.
Photo source: Muir Glen