Action Urged on BPA in Packaging

April 17, 2008: 12:00 AM EST

The Food and Drug Administration has been pressured to take action on the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in food packaging. A report by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) says the substance might induce cancer in humans at current exposure levels, although more research is needed. A report last year by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) claimed that the chemical could leach into canned food at levels reaching 200 times the “acceptable” amount. The findings were based on government studies on rodents, with human exposure typically set to between 1000 to 3000 times the levels that harm lab animals. The FDA has not set maximum exposure levels. The European Food Safety Authority in 2006 set a tolerable daily intake (TDI) level for BPA of 50-micrograms/kg body weight/day, but said that current exposure levels were 30 percent of the TDI. Canada is said to be about to declare it a toxin.

Chris Jones, "New BPA Evidence Piles Pressure on FDA to Set Exposure Limits", Food Production Daily, April 17, 2008, © Decision News Media

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