Stumble It!
The self-described "food politics" website Civil Eats has posted this by Naomi Starkman:
"Consumer Reports’ latest tests of canned foods, including soups, juice, tuna, and green beans, have found that almost all of the 19 name-brand foods tested contain measurable levels of Bisphenol A (BPA). The results are reported in the December 2009 issue and also available online. BPA, which has been used for years in clear plastic bottles and food-can liners, has been restricted in Canada and some U.S. states and municipalities because it has been linked to a wide array of health effects including reproductive abnormalities, heightened risk of breast and prostate cancers, diabetes, and heart disease. I’ve reported on BPA here, here, and here."
My pantry, which I just checked, contains a few cans--tomatoes, white beans, black beans, and pumpkin. I stared hard at them just now. A can of green beans never has entered my larder but, yes, tuna has, sardines have, along with the odd cans of beans. As a spontaneous, non recipe-based cook, those beans are vital and always ready to go. Soaking dry beans overnight-- of course I have done that, but usually when I know that I am preparing a massive portion of black bean soup the next day.
I am sure many of you soak and cook beans ahead, and then freeze them in handy sized amounts, right? But in what? Plastic bins! Baggies? Chemical-laden somethings?
Help!
( Tks to http://www.thehungrymouse.com/home/2008/10/24/white-beans-two-ways-garlicky-dip-creamy-soup/ for can pix. It's a site that looks lively and informative, BTW.)
Why does life have to be so scary?
If frozen is better: do frozen products not come in plastic or plastic lined carton?
Fresh produce in plastic boxes or tightly wrapped in it?
What about hair conditioner- making your hair soft and manageable? ( Remember the squeaky-clean ads of yesteryear? ) It contains the same dodgy stuff and we were warned about it.
Posted by: Rose | November 04, 2009 at 01:27 AM
I guess we should be washing with bars of lard, and eating uncooked cabbage leaves, Rose....to be safe.
Posted by: Foodie | November 04, 2009 at 07:27 AM
Never heard of bars of lard passing for soap. Where? When? Why?
Cabage leaves raw?
What untoward thing is happening in the cooking process???
Do tell.
Posted by: Rose | November 04, 2009 at 01:45 PM
I exaggerate for emphasis....
Posted by: Foodie | November 04, 2009 at 09:23 PM
I too. Usually.
Posted by: Rose | November 05, 2009 at 12:34 AM
You know, this makes me glad that I don't use too many canned foods...except for tomatoes. Those tomatoes come in mighty handy when I want to chunkify a pasta sauce or add a little more veggie oomph to a stew.
Sigh.
Posted by: Twistie | November 05, 2009 at 09:21 AM
I think fresh tomatoes for cooking are totally overrated. Canned tomatoes are ripe and fresh when they are canned or tetra-packed. The tomatoes one can buy are probably harvested green and had no time to develop their flavour. My Italian friends (not Italian descendent Americans )always use canned.
Posted by: Rose | November 05, 2009 at 02:01 PM
I am also on the side of canned tomatoes. And I suppose I could check out a few brands, and ask them about their cans....if I wanted to.
Posted by: Foodie | November 06, 2009 at 09:27 AM
Can your own tomatoes. We normally do, though because of blight are buying them in BPA-lined cans. Hmph! But seriously, growing tomatoes is usually pretty easy and canning them is even easier.
Posted by: Sonya | November 07, 2009 at 06:23 PM
Tell us how, pls, Sonya!
Posted by: Foodie | November 09, 2009 at 09:52 AM
Scald in boiling water (slit x's on the bottoms first) then dunk in cold. Remove skins. Either pack whole or in chunks in sterile quart containers. Place seals on jars (making sure the quart tops are clean of tomato juice and boil in a water bath for...I have to go look in "Putting Food By"...45 minutes. Place on a towel with a good amount of space between each to cool. You'll hear the sound of the tops sealing. A wonderful sound. Check seals and if any didn't seal properly use those tomatoes right away, put in the fridge or re-can them. I would suggest getting a copy of "Putting Food By" because though tomatoes are one of the safest things to can, you probably should really have full directions with you while you are doing it. Oh, if I'm canning heirloom tomatoes I usually put a tablespoon of lemon juice in each jar.
Posted by: Sonya | November 09, 2009 at 11:21 AM
Thank you, Son!
Posted by: Foodie | November 10, 2009 at 10:32 AM
I skinned fresh tomatoes for the first time yesterday, and it was pretty easy, but I thought it still was not worth the effort. Unless you're using really expensive heirlooms, I think fresh ones, after cooked, are probably on a par with canned for flavor. I too, have become obsessed with the evils of plastic. I posted a humorous article you might enjoy on my food blog:
http://lentilbreakdown.blogspot.com/2009/09/plastic-eater.html
Posted by: Adair Seldon | November 15, 2009 at 08:31 PM