What is Bisphenol A and how is it used?
Bisphenol A, also referred to as BPA, is a chemical used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastic or epoxy resins which include some food packaging materials. BPA is included for several different purposes depending on the packaging material it is used for. It is used to prevent corrosion of cans and, when used as an epoxy coating in cans, to prevent contamination of foods. When it is used in bottles it can increase their heat resistance and durability. Products using BPA include reusable plastic containers for food and beverages, baby bottles, tableware, microwave oven ware, and the linings of cans used for food products. Polycarbonate and epoxy resins are also used in other everyday consumer products such as cell phones, computers, household appliances, bicycle helmets and flooring.
BPA is receiving increased scrutiny for its potential role in causing cancer, tumors, and developmental and hormonal changes in humans. However, the preponderance of evidence shows no such effects given the low level of BPA exposure consumers receive. It is virtually impossible to come in contact with an unsafe amount of BPA through our day-to-day living activities.
Is BPA used in food packaging safe and how is it regulated?
BPA use in food packaging has been extensively tested and recognized as safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other regulatory agencies worldwide, including the European Commission’s Scientific Committee on Food, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and the U.K. Food Standards Agency. It has been used in consumer products for well over 40 years and the FDA regulates its use in food packaging materials.
The large body of evidence indicates that FDA-regulated products containing BPA are safe and that exposure levels from BPA food contact materials are well below those that may cause health effects - for both infants and children. However, FDA is actively reviewing research and concerns raised recently regarding BPA. FDA has created a task force to perform a risk assessment on BPA and will develop recommendations with regard to FDA-regulated products that contain BPA.
Should I be concerned about exposure to BPA?
Current research indicates that BPA does not accumulate in the body and the small amounts from daily exposure are rapidly excreted. In 2000, the National Institute of Health’s National Toxicology Program (NTP) reviewed the available scientific data to evaluate the likelihood of low dose health effects of BPA. Included were several large multigenerational rat studies, which found no evidence for a low-dose health effect of BPA despite their considerable strength and statistical power.
Additionally, in 2007 a scientific review panel of the NTP “expressed negligible concern for adverse reproductive effects following exposures in the general population to Bisphenol A." After a public comment period, the panel concluded there is a minimal risk associated with low dose effect, a possible association between BPA and neurobehavioral effects for pregnant women and infants and children and negligible concern for adverse effects from BPA exposure in adults. This report has not been finalized and will undergo another revision period. A revised draft of this report is currently in process as the report had not been finalized.
Furthermore in 2007, the EFSA's scientific (AFC) panel called for a permanent setting of a Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) level, which replaces the previous temporary recommendation level due to extensive scientific evidence collected since 2002 which adds confidence to the safety of specified levels of BPA. According to the EFSA statement, "People's dietary exposure to BPA including that of infants and children, is estimated to be well below the new TDI."
The FDA has found no evidence or data to indicate regulatory limits or restrictions on BPA are needed. In 2005 in response to the California Assembly’s proposed bill to ban BPA they said “based on all the evidence available to us at this time, FDA sees no reason to changes its long-held position that current uses with food are safe.” Furthermore, “Considering all the evidence, including measurements by FDA chemists of levels found in canned food or migrating from baby bottles, FDA sees no reason at this time to ban or otherwise restrict the uses now in practice.”
In April 2008, Health Canada completed a risk assessment of BPA with industry and other stakeholders. Based on the risk assessment, Health Canada is proposing a number of strategies to reduce the amount of BPA exposure, specifically to infants and newborns. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) maintains that BPA is safe based on the overwhelming body of scientific evidence to support these conclusions. At this time, the FDA "is not recommending that anyone discontinue using products that contain BPA" and will continue to investigate new research regarding the safety of BPA.
What about food packaged in plastic containers or cans? Is there BPA in the food?
The migration of BPA into foods packaged in plastic containers or cans is extremely low. The amount of BPA to have been found in foods is far less than the levels of safety set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA’s oral reference dose (RfD) is an “estimate of daily exposure to the human population (including sensitive subgroups) that is likely to be without an appreciable risk of deleterious effects during a lifetime.” For BPA, EPA has high confidence in their conservative RfD of 50 ųg/kg/day, which is well above actual exposure levels. It is important to remember that food packaging serves an important safety purpose in protecting foods from pathogens or other contaminants.
EPA and other health agencies use biomonitoring measures to better understand the relationship between exposure to environmental pollutants and health. Biomonitoring helps build the data to show whether levels of “pollutants” are increasing or decreasing in the population.
What are the numbers on the bottom of plastic bottles and how are they used?
The numbers on the bottom of plastic bottles are the SPI Resin Identification Codes, which are used to identify which type of plastic a product is made of. The Society of the Plastics Industries, Inc (SPI) introduced this voluntary coding system in 1988. Since then many states have incorporated the system into their recycling efforts to let consumers know which types they can recycle at their local center. Resin codes one through six identify particular resins while seven (7) includes all others and any combinations of the six.
| 1 | Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) |
| 2 | High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) |
| 3 | Polyvinyl Chloride (Vinyl) |
| 4 | Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) |
| 5 | Polypropylene (PP) |
| 6 | Polystyrene (PS) |
| 7 | Other |
Do these numbers indicate the safety of the product?
No. These numbers do not indicate the safety level of the product. The numbers are merely meant to indicate what type of plastic the container is made of to help facilitate the recycling process.
How are they food containers regulated?
The Office of Food Additive Safety (OFAS) of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) is responsible for regulating all food contact substances, including plastic packaging materials, ensuring that they are safe. Manufacturers are required to provide detailed toxicological, chemical and environmental safety information about a food packaging product before it can be approved safe for use.
Putting Risk in Perspective: Here’s What You Need to Know . . .
Consumers, including infants and children, are not at significant risk from exposure to BPA from foods packaged in plastic containers or cans. Based on current research and the limited exposure of BPA from food and drinks in plastic containers and cans, there is no reason for consumers to change their choice of food items. At this time, FDA is not recommending that anyone stop using products that contain BPA, however concerned consumers should know that alternatives to polycarbonate baby bottles do exist, including glass baby bottles.
