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FDA agrees to reconsider BPA in food packaging

By Jeremiah | December 24, 2008 | 4 comments / Comment now

The FDA's internal Science Board agreed with an independent advisory panel that the agency was wrong to base its assessment of BPA - which it declared safe for use in food packaging, including canned and jarred foods and infant formulas - on two studies funded by the American Plastics Council, dismissing more than 200 independent studies that concluded that BPA could be harmful in extremely small doses. This means that the FDA will "reopen" its case and do another review.

From the New York Times:

The F.D.A.’s draft risk assessment in August, finding the chemical safe as it is now used, stood out against a tide of recent scientific opinion. The National Toxicology Program, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, has said there was reason to be concerned that BPA, as the chemical is called, could harm the brain, behavior and the prostate gland in fetuses, infants and children. Canada added the chemical to its list of toxic substances this year and has said it will ban BPA from polycarbonate baby bottles.

In September, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that adults with high levels of BPA in their urine were more prone to heart and liver disease and diabetes.

More than 200 animal studies have linked ingesting minute amounts of the substance to a range of reproductive problems, brain damage, immune deficiencies, metabolic abnormalities, and behavioral oddities like hyperactivity, learning deficits and reduced maternal willingness to nurse offspring. [Link]

We'll keep you posted on where this goes.

Categories: BPA, chemical safety

1. Lunchbox Obsessed [12/28/08]

I think it is always best to stay on the safe side and just avoid BPA plastics for food. We had several polycarbonate food containers… I am now reusing those to organize stuff in our playroom (like markers, stickers. etc.), and have replaced all of our food storage containers with glass.

2. Jenna [12/29/08]

Well, that’s good news.

Okay, Jeremiah, I have a new challenge for you: I’m trying to figure out an alternative to my BPA-containing water cooler bottles.

I drink lots of tea and use the hot-water aspect many times through the day, so I’ve been hesitant to just switch to filtered tap, which I’d then have to microwave whenever I wanted hot water. (My concerns about microwaves are about the same as my concerns about BPA. I try to limit both.) Technically, I could heat water on the stove several times a day, but… ugh.

I see that there’s one company making glass water bottles for water coolers, but I’m a single momma who isn’t particularly strong. I have enough trouble lifting the plastic jugs and getting them onto my cooler without making a mess all over the kitchen. No way can I do it with heavy glass jugs.

So… what would you suggest? Do you know of any companies making BPA-free water bottles for coolers? Or another method of water filtration that would fit what I’m looking for?

3. Jeremiah [12/29/08]

We do have answers for you, Jenna! We searched long and hard for our own solutions, and will get them together and share them in an “Ask Z Recommends” post. I’ll try to get that up this week.

4. Jenna [12/29/08]

Anyone ever tell you you’re the best person on the whole Internet? ;)

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