Uncle Ben Strikes Back!

Uncle Ben got back to me; here's what he had to say about my query:

Dear Mr Benner,

Thank you for your inquiry regarding our BISTRO EXPRESS® Rice.

Mars Canada is committed to providing consumers with food products that are enjoyable, nutritious and safe and which adhere to Canada’s rigorous food safety regulatory system.

Following a risk assessment regarding the safety of Bisphenol A, the Government of Canada has announced that there are no safety or health concerns for the general population concerning the use of BPA in food packaging, risk is negligible and there is a very low exposure of this substance to the Canadian population.

At Mars Canada, we will continue to monitor the expert community for new developments into research on BPA.

Our BISTRO EXPRESS® ENTREE Rice products are shelf stable and have a 1 year shelf life when stored under the proper conditions.  Similar to canned products, these pouches are hermetically sealed and can be stored in your cupboards or pantry for up to one year past their manufacturing date.

Again, just like in the canning process, the thermal process used to render the BISTRO EXPRESS pouches commercially sterile is more than adequate to kill mould spores present in the atmosphere.  On the rare occasions that a product goes bad before its expiry date, it has been as a result of gross damage in distribution.

We have done extensive testing to ensure the materials that make up the BISTRO pouch meets all our requirements for retort.  Since the retort process involves high temperature and pressure, pouches are tested for delamination and strong seal properties.  The plastic films that make up the pouches are non-porous materials that can handle the conditions of the retort and microwave.  The printing inks are food grade, non-lead and printed between film layers prior to lamination.

We thank you for your interest in our products.


Regards,


Your Friends at MARS Canada Inc.


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