The European Food Safety Authority (Efsa) has reassessed the risks of bisphenol A. Exposure to this toxic product is potentially harmful to several organs.
Bisphenol A can damage your health. In a January 17 press release, theEuropean Food Safety Authority (Efsa) delivers the interim results of its re-evaluation of the substance. “Our experts have identified health hazards associated with exposure to BPA,” the statement said.
A “potential concern”
Bisphenol A is a chemical often used in the manufacture of plastics and resins. It can migrate into foods and beverages stored in packages that contain it and is known to be an endocrine disruptor. Efsa recognizes the “general toxic effects” of the substance, but in moderation.
According to the interim report, exposure to bisphenol A is potentially harmful to humans: it attacks the liver, kidneys and mammary glands. The “possible effects of BPA on the reproductive, nervous, immune, metabolic and cardiovascular systems, as well as on the development of cancers (…) could constitute a potential concern for health” but an association is for the moment considered “improbable. By Efsa. They are currently only assumed in humans, but proven in animals.
Divide the tolerated thresholds by ten
However, the European agency puts the danger of bisphenol A into perspective. It calls for the tolerated exposure thresholds to be divided by ten, to reach 5 µg per kg of body weight per day. But the current exposure would be below this threshold. In addition, Efsa estimates that “the health risk for all population groups is low, including for fetuses, infants and young children”. The agency’s final opinion will be issued next March.
Canada has classified it as a toxic substance, but the United States allows it. As a reminder, in Europe bisphenol A has been banned since 2011 in baby bottles. As of January 1, 2013, the ban was extended to all food packaging. This should be the case for all food packaging in early 2015. By then, theHealth security agency (ANSES) recommends reducing exposure to bisphenol A.
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