BPA, phthalates "widespread" in supermarket foods, regardless of packaging, Consumer Reports says

CBS News, Jan. 4, 2024. Ed.

Looking to reduce your exposure to plasticizers in the new year? Contrary to what you might think, shopping organic and avoiding plastic food packaging isn't a surefire way to avoid harmful chemicals such as BPA and phthalates.

According to new research from Consumer Reports, phthalates and bisphenols — two chemicals linked to various health risks such as diabetes and hormone disruption — are "widespread" among supermarket staples and fast foods, regardless of their packaging and ingredients and whether or not they are certified organic.

Researchers found that 99% of the supermarket and fast foods they tested contained phthalates, also known as plasticizers, which are chemicals that are added to plastics to make them more flexible. In addition, 79% of the food samples contained bisphenol A (BPA), an industrial chemical used in plastic manufacturing, and other bisphenols. Both chemicals have been found in studies to be hazardous to health.

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Among the supermarket foods tested, Annie's Organic Cheesy Ravioli proved to have the most phthalates at 53,579 per nanogram, followed by Del Monte sliced peaches which contain 24,928 phthalates per nanogram and Chicken of the Sea pink salmon, which has 24,321 phthalates per nanogram...

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bpa-phthalates-plastic-chemicals-consumer-reports-fda/