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New York, chemical compounds, BPA (Bisphenol-A) are chemical substances that are harmful to the reproductive system, nervous, immune system and cause cancer. Recently, researchers have found exposure to BPA in canned foods suspected of more than plastic bottles.

During this time, BPA is known widely available in plastic bottles. Recent studies found that exposure to BPA allegedly more on food packaged in cans, like sardines, canned beverages, infant formula, cornet, canned fruit, and others, rather than foods that are packed with plastic bottles.

"Exposure to BPA canned food is much broader than plastic bottles," says Shanna Swan, a professor and researcher at the University of Rochester in New York, as quoted from Foxnews, Thursday (10/06/2010).

BPA is a key compound layer of epoxy resin (epoxy resin) which keeps food fresh and prevent these foods interact with metals and changes in taste.

As quoted from Reuters, from several studies, BPA is not only associated with cancer, but also obesity, diabetes, heart disease, nerve damage, impotence and even to death.

In canned foods, a thin layer of epoxy resin is between foods and cans, which helps guard did not interact with each other and prevent the rust.

Resin is sprayed into the cans and can be dried immediately. Thousands of international big beverage companies allegedly used to coat cans of their production.

Without this layer of resin, packaged food that will more quickly destroyed. Cans who lack this chemical compound will also explode on store shelves when it reacts with metal cans.

First synthesized in 1891, CPA is a commercial speaker, which widely used in various applications, ranging from plastic boats to counter money.

As an important compound in the layer of epoxy resin, BPA acts as part of the base polymer complex, and was first used in 1940 in food cans.

Even more worrisome, according to Prof. Swan, alleged exposure to BPA is most prevalent in infant formula cans, either milk formula for infants and pregnant women.

Hugh Taylor, a professor and researcher at Yale University who helped lead the research on BPA, said these chemicals are changing the way genes respond to estrogen and opened up opportunities babies in the womb cancer later in life.

"I tell my pregnant patients to avoid products that contain these harmful compounds. Even brief exposure in pregnancy can cause permanent damage," said Hugh Taylor who is also a gynecologist.

Because BPA has long been considered safe for packaging cans, only a few studies have done to be able to find a replacement who turned out this dangerous compound.

"Currently, there are no other types of epoxy resins that can provide the level of food security, stability, duration, and cost effectiveness to maintain the shelf life of fruits and vegetables in cans," said Steve Russell, head of the plastics division for the American Chemistry Council, an industry trade group .

However, this does not occur in plastic bottles. In industry, the replacement of BPA in plastic bottles so much easier. Alternatives to plastics with BPA, such as polyethylene are most often used to make shopping bags, and polypropylene, which makes bottles of fresh water.