"Potentially harmful" levels of toxic chemical BPA found in Edgell corn.

ALARMING levels of the toxic chemical BPA are lurking in tinned foods including popular baby brands, a study claims.

Consumer advocate Choice is demanding Bisphenol A be stripped from all tinned foods fed to infants and toddlers after conducting tests on a range of common products.

The "gender bending" substance, widely used in plastics and to stop food and drink tins and cans rusting, has been linked by some animal studies to infertility, cancers, heart disease, attention deficit disorder, and other health risks.

Choice spokesman Christopher Zinn said laboratory samples on 38 tinned products - including baby food, baked beans, coconut milk, corn kernels, soups and fish - revealed 29 contained "potentially harmful" levels.

Choice's tests found the highest levels of BPA (300-420 parts per billion) in samples of Edgell corn kernels, John West tuna olive oil blend, and Heinz smooth custard with banana.

Mr Zinn said that though all the tested foods were well below the European Union's safety limit of 600 parts per billion, some scientists believed that the threshold should be set far lower.

"A number of scientists believe this advice is based on outdated research and say babies and small children in particular are at risk because of their small body weight and rapid growth," he said.

"Opinion may be divided on the potential health hazards of BPA, but why take unnecessary risks?"

There are scientists who believe BPA can interfere with the hormonal system by copying oestrogen.

Major retailers in Australia are already phasing out BPA from baby bottles following similar bans in Canada, the United States, and Denmark.

But food companies and regulators worldwide maintain that the low levels humans are exposed to through food packaging are safe.

Manufacturing giant Heinz recently agreed to remove BPA from baby food packaging over the next year.

"While we believe there is no risk to consumers, we are keen to allay any concern," said a Heinz spokesman.
Simplot, the company behind Edgell and John West, is testing BPA alternatives for can linings.

The Australian Food and Grocery Council has rejected the findings, maintaining there is no evidence to suggest food packaged in cans containing BPA is harmful.

"There's no scientific evidence internationally that has shown any dangers to humans from BPA in canned products or bottles," spokesman Dr Geoffrey Annison said.

"Products containing BPA have been subject to significant and rigorous investigations by leading world authorities and, in recent years, food regulators in the United States, UK and the EU have examined the latest findings and have determined that the use of BPA continues to be safe."