Bisphenol A, commonly abbreviated as BPA, is an organic compound with two phenol functional groups. It is used to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins, along with other applications.
Known to be estrogenic since the mid 1930s, concerns about the use of bisphenol A in consumer products were regularly reported in the news media in 2008 after several governments issued reports questioning its safety, prompting some retailers to remove products containing it from their shelves. A 2010 report from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) raised further concerns regarding exposure of fetuses, infants and young children. In September 2010, Canada became the first country to declare BPA as a toxic substance. In the European Union and Canada, BPA use is banned in baby bottles.
Well here's the thing. If you look at your plastic products, a lot of them will now say that they are BPA free. That is good news! The bad news is that is in almost all canned foods unless marked BPA free. I got excited when I found out our Stater Brothers where we live was carrying Eden Organic products. Their cans say they have BPA free lining. The only problem is that Stater Brothers only carries their "bean" products...like pinto, black beans etc. When I looked up the product line for Eden Organic they do make some tomato products in glass jars. The FDA has not approved BPA free lining for products that are acidic like tomatoes! I will post shortly my recipe for canning your own diced tomatoes..so much easier than I thought it would be!
But other products that are canned at the grocery store are just simply impossible to find BPA free, like those good o'l Condensed Cream of Soups. I found the answer to that too!
I have a wonderful cookbook by Mary Ostyn titled Family Feasts for $75 a week and she has a recipe for Cream of Anything Soup Mix. This is simply lovely and convenient and saves money at the same time and limits your exposure to those scary BPAs!
CONDENSED CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP:
(makes about 5 cups of dry mix which Mary Ostyn says is the equivalent to twelve 10.75 oz cans of condensed soup)
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups powdered milk
1 cup cornstarch
1 cup powdered chicken bouillon
2 tabl onion powder
1 teas dried thyme
1/2 teas dried basil
1/2 teas black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Store in an airtight container for up to 1yr. Now when it is time to make the condensed soup you simply: In a saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of dry soup mix, mix with 1 1/4 cups water, 1 tabl butter. Blend well and bring to a boil, cooking 2 to 3 minutes. This mixture will thicken as it sets.
Now what if you don't need condensed cream of chicken and instead need cream of mushroom or celery? Easy! for the cream of mushroom soup do as above and add in 1/2 cup minced mushrooms. I bet you can guess what you add in for the cream of celery soup....1/2 cup minced celery.
Give it a try and you will be saving money and limiting your exposure to BPAs!!!
