Canned or Bottled Foods Where BPA Was Intentionally Used in the Manufacture of the Can Lining, Bottle Seals or Jar Lids

The new list at https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/bpalist provides a simple way for the public to determine whether bisphenol A (BPA)  was intentionally used in the manufacture of a can, bottle cap or seal for a particular food or beverage product. BPA is a chemical listed under Proposition 65 as causing harm to the female reproductive system. Consumers interested in reducing their exposures to BPA can use this list as a guide in making their purchasing decisions.

The list identifies canned and bottled foods where the can lining or bottle cap or seal was made using BPA.  Businesses subject to Proposition 65’s warning requirements have provided us with this information for products covered by the Proposition 65 warning for BPA in canned and bottled foods and beverages that is posted at checkout stands in retail stores throughout California.

The list is available here: https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/bpalist. It provides product names, descriptions, container sizes, and Universal Product Codes (UPCs).   It is searchable based on any of the columns in the spreadsheet.  For example, you can search by typing in a brand, type of food or a product’s UPC code into the search box.  Businesses that are discontinuing the use of BPA in their cans, bottle caps or jar seals for a particular food or beverage product can also provide us with the last “use-by” date. If you see a product with a “use by” date on the list, it means that businesses have indicated the same product with a later “use-by” date is packaged in cans or bottles in which BPA was not intentionally used.

The UPC is the Uniform Product Code for a particular item.  It is also sometimes called the “bar code”¹.  It looks something like this:

It is a series of lines that can be read by an electronic scanner.  It includes numbers corresponding to the bars on the code.  These numbers can be used to help identify a product and aid consumers in their search of the product list.

A “use by” or “best buy” date may look like these:

If a food manufacturer has stopped using cans or bottles that were manufactured with BPA, they can include the “use-by” or “best-by” date in the information they provide to OEHHA.

The “use-by” date on the product will then be listed on the website for the date BPA was last used in the packaging.  Products with a later “use-by” or “best-buy” date no longer have packaging where BPA was intentionally used to make the can lining or bottle caps or seals.  Some manufacturers will begin phasing out BPA in their packing prior to the "use-by" dates on the website, but they cannot guarantee that all packages with earlier "use-by" dates were made without BPA.

The list will be updated throughout the year, whenever businesses provide information to us.

The list will expire and be removed from our website after December 30, 2017.  The regulation that established the list and the BPA warnings posted at checkout stands in retail stores will end on that day, and the checkout stand warnings will no longer be an option for businesses to use.  After December 30, 2017, consumers should look for warnings on product labels or on shelves near the products to identify those products that can cause exposures to BPA.

Consumers who print out all or parts of the list should understand that the list will be updated throughout the year and will not be updated after December 30, 2017. The list will not be a reliable source of information after that date. 

There are several reasons why a product may not show up on the list.  For example, the manufacturer may not be using BPA in the can, bottle cap or seal.  Manufacturers who are confident that any BPA in a can, bottle cap or seal will not migrate into the food or beverage in significant amounts do not need to provide us with the name of their product for inclusion on the list. Also, businesses that wish to provide BPA warnings to consumers through other means (such as a warning on a product label) do not need to provide us with information for the list.  If you do not find a product of interest to you on the list, you may wish to look for a warning on the label or posted near the product.

Proposition 65 requires businesses to provide warnings for exposures to listed chemicals.  It does not require businesses to provide information about products where the chemical is not used.  Businesses that do not intentionally use BPA sometimes note that fact on the label of the product.

Please see the BPA fact sheets on our website at https://www.p65warnings.ca.gov/bpa.

For help understanding or using the list please contact: P65.BPA@oehha.ca.gov.  For other questions about Proposition 65 contact:  P65.Questions@oehha.ca.gov, or (916) 445-6900.