$Unique_ID{BRK02008}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Canned Food and the Risk of Lead Poisoning}
$Subject{lead poisoning lead contamination canned food canned foods can lead
solder seamless welding Food and Drug Administration FDA}
$Volume{}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1993  Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Canned Food and the Risk of Lead Poisoning


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QUESTION:  I realize that lead poisoning is very dangerous in young children,
and want to do everything I can to prevent any exposure to lead for my
youngsters.  My mother has told me not to feed them any canned food products,
as the cans contain lead that gets into the food.  Since not every food I want
to use comes in a jar, I sometimes need to use a canned food.  Am I putting my
children in any danger of lead poisoning?

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ANSWER:  Your Mothers information is a bit dated, but she was right 10 or more
years ago.  At that time about 1/3 of all the lead found in the American diet
came from canned food, more specifically from the lead solder that was used to
seal the edges of the can.  However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
was instrumental in convincing the American Canning industry to seek out
another method of constructing the cans.  A new technology, seamless welding,
is now used to construct the cans, and no lead solder is used.  So the danger
from lead contamination is over.  Well, almost.  Foreign food canners still
lag behind American technology, and in some cases they are still using the
older soldering method to produce cans.  You can tell by inspecting the can,
or feeling for a rough seam through the label.  If you discover such a line or
see patches of silvery metal on the can, prudence dictates avoiding this
product and searching for another.  Not all imported canned food manufacturers
use these cans, so your job as an informed consumer is to check carefully.

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.