BPA in Canning Lids – Seriously?

There has been a lot of talk lately about BPA (Bisphenol-A) and the fact that it is in most of the canning lids we use for home preservation. It raises a whole scary set of questions, like:

What is BPA exactly? Is home canning still safe? Are there other options?

Let me see if I can fill in the blanks for you here.

First of all, don’t panic. Canning is still safe! Really, truly it is. But, you will be hearing about the BPA issue in the news and as canners, we need to stay informed so we can continue to use the best methods possible.

What is BPA?

Let’s start by looking at what BPA is. Bisphenol-A is a synthetic estrogen that is used to make plastic hard and to create a coating that keeps metal from rusting. It is currently in a lot of the plastic containers and commercial metal cans we use everyday. When food is in direct contact with BPA, it is absorbed into the food and when we eat that food, the BPA goes into our bodies.

What is bad about this synthetic estrogen is that various studies have shown that it can cause serious health issues. (Everything from disrupting hormone levels to causing cancer.) These studies have also shown that even though BPA is not stored in the body very long, most of us have traces of it because we are constantly exposed through plastic. The bottom line is that it is not a good thing for us to be eating.

There has been much debate about these studies and even entire countries cannot agree on the safety issues. For example, Canada has banned the use of BPA, while the European Safety Authority has declared it perfectly safe. This week there is a conference on BPA to hash out the global consensus of the risks in using it.

So, is BPA Really in Home Canning Lids?

Yes. Unfortunately, BPA is in most 2-piece metal canning lids that come with standard canning jars here in America. It is used in the coating that prevents the lid from rusting.

So, as we are trying to do something good for our bodies (no preservatives) and good for the environment (eating locally), we suddenly discover that there is something potentially dangerous in the lid of our jar! What are we to do?

Understand the Danger:

In order to make a good decision about canning lids, we need to fully understand the dangers. We know that heat activates BPA and we are heating the lids when we use them. However, we also know that the food must be in direct contact with the lid in order to leach BPA into the food.

If we are canning properly, using proper headspace and the jars are stored in the upright position on the pantry shelf, our food should NOT be in direct contact with the lid or the BPA in the lid. Therefore, it should be safe to eat the food inside the jar.

But…there is the argument that the food can bubble up and hit the lid during processing. Yes, that is a real possibility. Although there are studies testing the amount of BPA leached when food is stored in direct contact for long periods of time, there are no studies showing BPA levels inside a home canning jar where the food might have touched the lid for a few seconds.

So, we really don’t know about that one. All we do know for sure is there is a potential danger and for some people, that is enough incentive to want to look for alternatives.

So what are our choices?

BPA-Free Lids

There are canning lids available that are made from a BPA-free plastic. They have two parts: a round, white plastic disk and a rubber gasket. You use the same metal screw top ring (that came with your canning jar) to hold them in place during processing. Unlike regular canning lids, these BPA-free lids are reusable and you can order them on line.

The USDA has not approved these lids, but that does not mean they are unsafe, necessarily. It just means that they are new on the market and there have been no USDA studies yet on their safety or reliability for holding a seal.

I have tried these lids and I can tell you that they are a bit tricky to use at first. It takes a few batches to get the hang of it and you may have some seal failures in the beginning. But once you get used to the rubber gasket, they work pretty well. They do not “ping” like a metal lid (signifying a vacuum seal) and you can’t test by pressing on the center. To check the seal, you must gently tug on the top.

The word on the street is that Ball Canning Jar company is coming out with their own BPA free lid soon. I can’t wait for that!

Other Options:

Another option to avoid BPA in lids is a Weck canning jar. Weck jars also are not approved by the USDA, but are approved in Canada where they are quite popular. They use a glass lid with a rubber gasket and clamps. They come in many beautiful shapes, but are a bit expensive and can be difficult to find except through mail order. (You can order from the link above.)

The Bottom Line:

Using standard USDA approved lids or the BPA-free lids (that are not approved by the USDA) is a personal choice. We each have to make this decision based on the type of foods we can and what we are comfortable with.

What do I use? I use both. I mostly use standard lids because if feel that if I use proper canning methods, proper headspace and my food does not touch the lid during storage, I am fairly safe from BPA. But I am also starting to use the BPA free lids more and am getting more comfortable with them. If I really want BPA out of my life, I feel I need to focus more on every commercially canned food and every plastic storage container in my kitchen. That is where the real danger lies for me because BPA seems to be everywhere.

USDA report: Update on Bisphenol A

Theresa Loe is the Associate Producer of Growing A Greener World. She is trained as a Master Food Preserver and is an expert in urban homesteading, home preservation, educational school gardens and gardening with children.