The compound bisphenol A is not dangerous to human health
After a comprehensive reassessment regarding the exposure and toxicity of bisphenol A /BFA/, the European Food Safety Authority /EFSA – European Food Safety Authority/ reached the conclusion that BFA does not pose a risk to the health of consumers of all age groups / including unborn children, infants, adolescents / at current exposure levels.
Exposure through consumption of food from packaging containing BPA or from a combination of sources /foods, washing powders and thermal paper – used for cash registers/ is significantly below safe levels /tolerable daily intake or DDD/.
However, recent scientific research has led EFSA experts to change the methodology as well, significantly reducing the safe exposure levels of BFA from 50 micrograms per kilogram of body weight /µg/kg of bw/day/ to just 4 µg/kg BFA / daily, with the highest permissible levels of exposure to this compound through food packaging or exposure from different sources /called “aggregated exposure” in the EFSA opinion/ being 3 to 5 times lower than the new daily allowable dose.< /p>
Why did the European Food Safety Agency / EFSA / need to do this reassessment?
BPA is a chemical compound used in the production of materials that come into contact with food, such as plastic containers for reusable and some coatings /mainly protective coatings such as that on kitchen equipment tops/.
BFA is also widely used in the production of thermal paper, which, as mentioned above, is usually used primarily for cash registers. Residual amounts of bisphenol A may migrate into food and beverages, thereby being ingested by the consumer.
From other sources, such as thermal paper, cosmetics and washing powder, this compound can be absorbed through the skin and by inhalation.
Dr Trine Husøy, one of the members of the European Food Safety Agency’s expert board dealing with food contact materials, states: “The board decided to re-evaluate the safety of BFA due to the publication of a huge number of studies in recent years that highlighted the risk of using this compound in the production of food packaging.’
In order to be as open and transparent as possible, the authorities of the European Food Safety Agency consulted and took into account the views of the national authorities of the member countries and of the interested parties during the preparation of the present risk assessment for the health of consumers in order to it is ensured that the widest possible range of scientific opinion and information has been taken into account.
According to Dr. Trine Husøy: “the public consultations also helped us to refine our assessment, as additional data were provided and thus clarified some important aspects of it that created some uncertainty.”
Refined assessment of the toxicity of bisphenol A
After analyzing a significant volume of the latest available scientific information on the toxic effects of this compound, the Expert Council of the European Food Safety Agency, reached the conclusion, that high doses of BFA (hundreds of times the DDD) are likely to adversely affect the kidneys and liver, and may also cause mammary gland changes in animals.
Dr. Trine Husøy said studies that point to other adverse health effects from exposure to high doses of BPA are not as conclusive.
“Adverse effects of this compound on the reproductive, nervous and cardiovascular systems, as well as its possible role in the development of cancer, are not considered likely at this time, but the available data from the studies carried out cannot be excluded from evidence “, he added.
