Canned Food Effects

The Negative Effects of Canned Food on People's Health

Zamzam Albulushi

Ohio University

Canned food is processed in order to increase the shelf life of certain products. It can be used to offer support to people in inaccessible areas such as military bases or people may use it at home (Callahan, 2011). While canned food has numerous benefits, increasing concerns are beginning to emerge on the safety and health implications of food with a shift from earlier concerns on the sanitation of canneries. The poor health and sanitation challenges initially associated with canned food have been progressively eliminated. This happened with the help of introduction of standards, which resulted in technology increasing efficiency

and quality associated with production. Health challenges present the leading concern over canned food with matters ranging from the salt content to botulism, all that have varied health implications. The chemicals associated with the packaging of food including BPA (bisphenol A) are used in the lining of food cans with the intention being the cushioning of the can’s content and the metallic part of the can (Callahan, 2011). An additional negative impact linked with canned relates to the leakages of aluminum through the cans and thus contamination the food as well will be discussed. Because of the packaging, canned food may have a negative influence on health and may lead to health issues such as cancer, botulism, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Bisphenol A is one of the most common elements of canned food that cause cancer and is utilized as a plastic hardening chemical in the lining of food cans. According to the National Toxicology Program, the chemical is linked with adverse effects on the brain and the prostate glands, while also increasing cancer and behavior problems (Bisphenol A, 2015). Although BPA is aimed at preventing the food content from mixing with the can, BPA leaks into the food, posing immense dangers to children and pregnant women amongst other vulnerable groups. For example, according to the NTP, " Exposure of pregnant women to BPA will result in fetal or neonatal mortality, birth defects, or reduced birth weight and growth in their offspring" (Bisphenol A, 2015, p. 1). In addition, BPA has a similar function to estrogen within the body and thus increases the risk for the development of prostate and breast cancers amongst other chronic illnesses (Breast Cancer Fund, 2015). Prostate cancer has devastating effects amongst men with about fifteen percent of American men suffering from the cancer (Bienkowski, 2014). The increase in the estrogen levels in males is linked with the heightened susceptibility of men suffering from prostate cancer. Bienkowski (2014) explains that the stem cells of people are critical in the replenishing of organs throughout life, and the exposure to BPA amongst other compounds with high estrogen levels contributes to the reprogramming of the stem cells. Exposure of the stem cells linked with the production of prostate tissues during the developmental stages of life contributes to heightened chances of prostate cancer (Bienkowski, 2014). As well, the increment in prostate cancer can have resulted by the increases in the estrogen levels. The early exposure of males to BPA increases the sensitivity of the stem cells of the prostate to estrogen a sensitivity that has increased the likelihood of developing cancer, which transmitted later (Callahan, 2011).
Moreover, the continued exposure of females to BPA further serves in the provision of the explanation of the sensitivity to breast cancer. Indeed, modeling using mice and rats indicates brief exposure to BPA cause significant changes in the structure of mammary tissues that increases the likelihood of developing breast cancer in the gestation period or the time near birth. (Lozada & Keri, 2011). Exposure of the breast to BPA in the prenatal stage contributes to the increment of the pre-cancerous lesions alongside carcinomas with such increases the chances of the development of breast cancer (Breast Cancer Fund, 2015). BPA has further been linked to the reduction of the efficacy of numerous agents utilized during chemotherapy. The implication of BPA on the likelihood of developing breast cancer is not the only worry, but further includes the presentation of challenges in the treatment processes reducing the efficacy of chemotherapy as a treatment regimen (Breast Cancer Fund, 2015). Therefore, BPA affect is extensive and that indicates the largely continued expression of people's health.
The canning of food is also associated with the likely development of botulism, an illness linked with the germ Clostridium botulinum, which produces toxins in sealed foods (CDC, 2015).

The toxin has lethal effects and without emergency treatment it could occasionally cause instant death, paralysis, or affect the nerves. The occurrence of botulism is associated with non-acidic foods with the likelihood of the growth of the toxin being high in canned food given the low-oxygen atmosphere (Botulism, 2013). The chances of botulism occurring are minimal, but of immense concern are the effects once the illness occurs. The illness contributes to paralysis. The initial symptoms are the paralysis of the face muscles with rapid spreading into the limbs. In other incidences, the paralyzation of the breathing muscles occurs, and thus results in respiratory complications begin (CDC, 2015). The consequences of botulism indicate the necessity of its avoidance with the minimization on the consumption of canned food. The sealed canned provides the suitable condition for the multiplication of toxins causing botulism and that necessitates the consideration of the packaging element of canned food. BPA serves as an important component of minimizing the possibility of the thriving of the toxins, by separating the food content from the can. Containers with leaks or bulges should be avoided alongside checking whether the container has any foam on opening and the color of the food (CDC, 2015).

The detection of such aspects should contribute to increased concern for the quality of the canned food. Also, people should take engage of caution with safety taking precedence of canned food.
In addition, canning of food is dependent on aluminum cans, which are often prone to flow with the leaks mixing with the food components. To demonstrate, in numerous incidents, the heating of canned food increases the possibility of contamination of the food contents with the aluminum radicals permeating the food. The contaminated food once consumed does not present immediate risks to persons, but like in the case of BPA, effects are noticed owing to accumulation (Man & Jones, 2000). Evidently, the safety of canning relies on the plastic lining, which is supposed to aid in the reduction of corrosion and the eventual contamination of food with aluminum. However, in isolated incidences, the plastic lining does not offer the needed protection from contamination with leakages identified when the cans are heated (Callahan, 2011). Furthermore, the aluminum in canned food has the effect of beginning neurochemical changes within the brain and that increases the chances of delays of the people's memory. In the majority of the incidences, avoidance is advocated for persons susceptible to Alzheimer’s, with specific need of avoiding canned foods. It can be difficult to have issues in brain and memory change like Alzheimer’s disease from aluminum in canned food. In fact, aluminum in canned food can be useful if it assume to aid in the reduction of corrosion.
Canning serves as a suitable avenue for the prolonging of the shelf life of foods with the idea of canning being the guarantee of food being edible for long durations following processing. Canned food offers immense benefits in terms of dietary content, but consideration should be placed on the safety of cans available to the market. Canned food should not be consumed with regularity as is with the present case in the country where consumption is linked with poor of cooking. Rather, canned food should be utilized as alternatives in areas where food products with the required nutritional value are inaccessible as exemplified through the military in combat scenarios. The consequences of food contamination of canned food include increased chances of suffering from cancer, botulism in a minimal way, and Alzheimer’s disease.

References
Bienkowski, B.

(2014). BPA exposure linked to prostate cancer. Environmental Health News. Retrieved from http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/2014/jan/bpa-prostate-cancer

Bisphenol A (BPA). (2015). National Institute of Enviornmental Health Sciences. Retrieved from https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/assets/docs_a_e/bisphenol_a_bpa_508.pdf

Breast Cancer Fund,. (2015). Bisphenol A (BPA). Breastcancerfund.org. Retrieved from http://www.breastcancerfund.org/clear-science/radiation-chemicals-and-breast-cancer/bisphenol-a.html

Botulism. (2013, August 1). World Health Organization. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs270/en/

Callahan, J. (2011). 50 health scares that fizzled. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Greenwood.

CDC,. (2015). CDC - Botulism, Consumer Information and Resources - NCZVED. Cdc.gov. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases/botulism/consumers.html

Lozada, K., & Keri, R. (2011, June 2). Bisphenol a increases mammary cancer risk in two distinct mouse models of breast cancer. The National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved from

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3159535/
Man, C., & Jones, A. (2000). Shelf-life evaluation of foods. Gaithersburg, MD: Aspen Publishers. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=ovoNjpn6aLUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Shelf-life+evaluation+of+foods&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=canned&f=false
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3159535/