BPA health concerns re-evaluated

In an EFSA re-evaluation of bisphenol A (BPA), it has been found that dietary exposure to the chemical substance is a health concern across all age groups. Following extensive scientific research and public input, potentially harmful health effects of BPA have been identified.

To follow up on EFSA’s advice, the European Commission and national authorities will discuss appropriate regulatory measures.

BPA is used in polycarbonate plastic, a transparent and rigid type of plastic used to make water dispensers, food storage containers and reusable beverage bottles. It is also used to produce epoxy resins found in protective coatings and linings for food and beverage cans and vats.

Chemicals such as BPA can migrate in very small amounts to foods and drinks, so it is important to regularly review their safety and consider new data.

Claude Lambré, Chair of EFSA’s Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids, said EFSA scientists have been examining the safety of BPA in great detail since 2006.

“For this re-evaluation, we scrutinised a vast quantity of scientific publications, including over 800 new studies published since January 2013. This has allowed us to address important uncertainties about BPA’s toxicity,” Lambré said.

“In the studies, we observed an increase in the percentage of a type of white blood cell, called T helper, in the spleen. They play a key role in our cellular immune mechanisms and an increase of this kind could lead to the development of allergic lung inflammation and autoimmune disorders,” he said.

The panel took into account potentially harmful health effects on the reproductive, developmental and metabolic systems that were identified in the risk assessment.

Henk Van Loveren, Chair of EFSA’s working group for the re-evaluation of BPA, said the company applied a systematic and transparent approach to assess the large number of studies published since 2013.

“Our findings are the result of an intense evaluation process that has lasted several years and which we finalised using the input we gathered from a two-month public consultation launched in December 2021,” Van Loveren added.

Compared to the previous assessment in 2015, EFSA’s panel significantly lowered the tolerable daily intake (TDI) for BPA, the amount that can be ingested daily over a lifetime without presenting an appreciable health risk.

EFSA’s scientists established a TDI of 0.2 nanograms (0.2 billionths of a gram) per kilogram of body weight per day, replacing the previous temporary level of 4 micrograms (4 millionths of a gram) per kilogram of body weight per day.

The newly established TDI is around 20,000 times lower.

By comparing the new TDI with estimates of dietary exposure to BPA, EFSA found that groups with both average and high exposure to BPA exceeded the TDI.

EU decision-makers, namely the European Commission and Member State representatives, are responsible for setting limits on the amount of a chemical that may migrate from food packaging into food.

EFSA’s scientific advice on BPA will now inform discussions among EU lawmakers on the appropriate regulatory measures to take to protect consumers.

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