BPA ‘bisphenol A’ use in food containers safe at approved levels: FDA

The new safety assessment by the health regulating body Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has concluded that the use of chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in containers to store food items and beverages is safe at the current levels.

In a statement, the federal body stated, “Based on FDA’s ongoing safety review of scientific evidence, the available information continues to support the safety of BPA for the currently approved uses in food containers and packaging.”

BPA, a synthetic estrogen, is used to produce polymers, polycarbonate (PC) and epoxy resins.

The chemical is under severe controversy as a number of studies have linked it to a string of diseases, including cancer, abnormal brain development, reproductive problems, obesity and several other health problems.

A study, published online in the journal Hypertension on December 8, has found that eating food items or drinking beverages from cans lined with the BPA could raise the blood pressure.

But a study conducted by Health Canada earlier this year found no health risk to the general population, including children and newborns, due to the dietary exposure to BPA.

With the FDA’s green signal, the speculations over BPA’s role are likely to die down soon.

Earlier this year, FDA experts from toxicology, endocrinology, analytical chemistry, epidemiology and other medical fields had completed a review of over 300 scientific studies in a four-year period.

Meanwhile, the FDA said that it will continue the review process of all the available information and research works on BPA.  The federal body will keep on updating its assessment of BPA and will take further action if required.