A spokesman from the company’s UK and Ireland division also confirmed the firm was committed to finding BPA alternatives despite assurances from official bodies that the chemical posed no health risks.
Canned food a priority
In its announcement today, Heinz Australia said it would prioritise canned baby foods followed by metal closures on jars. BPA is found in the epoxy lining of food cans and in seals on food jar closures. Concerns have been raised about migration of the chemical from these coatings into foods and the company acknowledged that “in some cases, small amounts of the chemicals in the food packaging may leach into the food product.”
“We expect BPA-free cans for baby food to be available within 12 months, with metal closures on glass jars to follow”, Heinz Australia corporate affairs manager Jessica Ramsden told FoodProductionDaily.com. “We will not risk the safety or quality of our products by rushing this process.”
The company said its Nurture range of infant formula cans, and Baby Basics Feeding products were already BPA-free.
The firm cited the recently delivered opinion of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) that concluded the continued use of BPA and plasticisers in food concluding posed no risk to infants or any other age group.
But Heinz added: “Despite these reassurances from FSANZ, Australian consumers continue to be concerned about BPA. In response to these consumer concerns, Heinz is phasing out BPA in its packaging. All Heinz infant and toddler foods remain completely safe while the phase out is underway.”
Consumer concerns are increasingly driving action to eliminate use of the chemical in food packaging. Last week, the Australian Government said it had brokered a voluntary agreement with a host of major retailers to stop using BPA in food contact materials aimed at young children. The Government stressed it was responding to consumer anxiety and that it still believed current exposure to BPA from food packaging was safe.
Committed to BPA alternatives
Heinz UK and Ireland said the food giant was committed to finding BPA substitutes despite assurances from food safety bodies that the chemical was safe. It confirmed research was ongoing into finding alternatives but declined to comment when asked to detail how much progress it had made on the issue.
The division’s corporate and government affairs director Nigel Dickie told FoodProductionDaily.com that its baby food cans were already BPA free but did not respond to further inquiries before publication to clarify whether this referred to all canned baby food or just infant formula.
“Although UK and European food authorities have stated that minute levels of BPA in can coatings are safe, Heinz remains committed to moving to alternatives,” he said. “Our baby food cans are already free from BPA. Heinz continues to advance research into alternative coatings in response to consumer opinion but safety remains our first priority before making any changes.
Heinz said its plastic ketchup and sauce bottles, pouches, plastic juice containers, snacks, cereal packaging and frozen products were all BPA-free.
BPA is used as a monomer in the production of polycarbonate baby bottles, water bottles, some processing equipment, water pipes and the epoxy linings of food cans. While major food safety agencies across the world deem it safe, there is mounting scientific evidence that exposure to the chemical at low levels may be linked to a range of serious health problems.