BPA-Free: Pomì Tomatoes

Many of us are concerned about BPA these days, and with the chemical lining most metal cans as well as jar lids, where to find BPA-free canned tomatoes is a frequent question. If you're not into putting up your own (with BPA-free canning lids), then Pomì might be the answer.

Italian company Boschi started selling Pomì brand tomatoes in 1935, and they have been available in the US for about three decades. Grown in Italy without the use of GMO seeds or pesticides, the tomatoes are packaged in BPA-free aseptic cartons. The company says that no BPA is present in any of the raw materials used to manufacture its packaging, which also "consists of up to 75% renewable resources, such as wood which is only obtained from sustainably managed forests."

We recently sampled Pomì's two tomato products, Chopped Tomatoes and Strained Tomatoes. (The company also makes pasta sauces.) The first thing we noticed was the ingredient list: just tomatoes. No water, preservatives, citric acid, or other additions. Both the chopped and strained tomatoes have a fresh flavor, with a nice balance of sweetness and acidity. Fresher tasting than most commercially canned tomatoes, they're also free of that tinny flavor. The cartons can be stored without refrigeration and, once opened, up to 10 days in the refrigerator.

On the negative side, aseptic cartons are not widely recyclable (check with your city or recycling center), and the Italian origin certainly adds a lot of food miles. However, we never have enough local, home-canned tomatoes to last us the whole year, so we'd definitely consider keeping some of these in the pantry for pasta sauces, soups, pizzas, and more.

Do you use Pomì tomatoes or any other BPA-free brands?

• More information: Pomì

Apartment Therapy Media makes every effort to test and review products fairly and transparently. The views expressed in this review are the personal views of the reviewer and this particular product review was not sponsored or paid for in any way by the manufacturer or an agent working on their behalf. However, the manufacturer did give us the product for testing and review purposes.

(Image: Emily Ho)

Comments (18)

Where on earth can you find these? According to their website, there are no location within 200 mile of Chicago that carry it.

Lynell, you can get them at Whole Foods in Chicago. (I've definitely seen them at the Gold Coast location, and I would guess that the other locations carry them.)

Thanks, I will definitely look for them. I love the idea of having no can, no BPA's. Maybe this is an idea that will catch hold in the US so they won't have to be flown in from Europe.

tetrabrick is the only way to find a lot of things in spain and we recycle it. finding milk stored at room temperature in these giant juice boxes definitely took some getting use to but it's really convenient. i'll have to look for the tomatoes!

Do I need to drive to Chicago to pick these up? I haven't seen them anywhere in St. Louis (including our WF) and I have looked.

They sell in many grocery stores in Florida. I buy it all the time. Strained is great for making your own red sauces.

It's funny, I just saw these at a Cub Foods in Brainerd, MN. Usually when I see something new here, it just means it must be Over just about everywhere else!

wow, usually nothing cool is available in Rhode Island (or it's years away from arriving) but this time RI hit the jackpot. It's basically available in stop & shop, shaws and other local supermarkets. Will definitely get some next time I go grocery shopping!

Lynell, until recently I lived in the S & SW suburbs (Homewood, Chicago Heights, Frankfort), and have always been able to find them at Italian deli/specialty shops.

Also, when I lived in Italy for a year after college, my Italian friends used them quite often, so that's a good enough recommendation for me.

any ideas if they're available in canada? i'd hate to add one more item to my already-lengthy cross border shopping list.

@ the polish chick: If you're in the Toronto area, I've found Pomi at Metro.

They are available in my two closest grocery stores--which are both local chains--here in Milwaukee.

I was amazed to hear you can't recycle tetrapaks in the US! Looking it up, it turms out some of you can, info here: http://www.recyclecartons.com/default.htm

pomi tomatoes were voted the worst tasting by cook's illustrated.

Thank you for putting this up. With all the recent info. on BPA in canned foods, I have been buying these boxed tomatoes and they're terrific.

I just saw Pomi tomatoes (sorry, not sure which ones) at Cost Plus World Market, of all places! This was in the San Francisco Bay Area. I've also seen them sold at old-style Italian deli type grocers.

Aside from fresh, these are the only other tomatoes I use.

They sell these at at least a few Wegmans groceries here in Rochester.