Dietary exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical widely used by industry in various products, "constitutes a health problem for consumers of all age groups." These are the conclusions of the scientific experts of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) collected in a new reassessment. Experts believe it can trigger "a development of allergic lung inflammation and autoimmune disorders."
In a comprehensive assessment of the scientific evidence, and following input from a public consultation, EFSA experts identified potentially harmful effects on the immune system.
The European Commission and national authorities will discuss appropriate regulatory measures to follow up on EFSA recommendations.
Banned from baby bottles in 2011, bispenol A is used, for example, among many other uses, in epoxy resins used to make protective coatings and foils for cans as well as food and beverage containers.
It is also used in polycarbonate plastics, a type of clear, rigid plastic used to make water dispensers, food storage containers, and reusable beverage bottles.
Chemicals such as BPA used in food containers can migrate in very small amounts to the food and drink they contain, so EFSA scientists regularly review their safety, taking into account new data.
Scientists have examined the safety of BPA in great detail in the years since our first full risk assessment of the substance in 2006.
A large body of scientific literature has been reviewed for this re-evaluation, including more than 800 new studies published since January 2013. This has allowed important uncertainties about the toxicity of BPA to be addressed.
"In studies we have seen a percentage increase in a type of white blood cell, called T helper, in the spleen. They play an essential role in our cellular immune mechanisms and an increase of this type could lead to the development of allergic lung inflammation and disorders autoimmune diseases," said Claude Lambré, Chairman of EFSA's Technical Committee on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids.
The panel also took into account other potentially harmful health effects on the reproductive, developmental, and metabolic systems that were identified in the risk assessment.
Previously, various studies have pointed out its hormonal effect (it is an endocrine disruptor because it interferes with female sex hormones), and neurodevelopmental disorders in children have been associated with obesity, diabetes and infertility, a chemical substance that is used in combination with other substances to make plastics and resins, according to Ethel Eljarrat, a CSIC researcher.
Henk Van Loveren, Chair of EFSA's working group for the BPA reassessment, said: "To assess the large number of studies published since 2013 (the cut-off point for our previous assessment in 2015), we have applied a systematic and transparent approach. . We develop in advance a protocol to select and evaluate all the tests with the input of the interested parties and the competent authorities of the Member States.
"Our conclusions are the result of an intense evaluation process that has lasted several years and that we finalized using also the contributions collected from a two-month public consultation started in December 2021," he added.
Compared to its previous assessment in 2015, EFSA's Panel of Experts significantly reduced the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) of BPA, the amount that can be ingested daily over a lifetime without posing an appreciable risk to health. .
In 2015, experts set a temporary TDI due to testing uncertainties, highlighting the need for additional data on the toxicological effects of BPA.
This new reassessment addressed most of these gaps and the remaining uncertainties were taken into account when establishing the TDI.
EFSA 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. up to date.
The newly established IDI is about 20,000 times smaller.
The experts compared the new tolerable daily intake with estimates of consumer exposure to BPA and concluded that people in all age groups with medium and high exposure to BPA exceeded the new TDI, which is "a reason for concern." health concerns."
"A number of variables can influence a person's overall health risk, including other stress factors on the human body, genetics and nutrition," says the EFSA.
The scientists also discussed the methodology and results with other scientific bodies to clarify or resolve any differences that arose, such as the use of 'intermediate parameters', which are early signals indicating the potential development of adverse health effects.
In this context, joint reports summarizing discussions with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) have been published.
Discussions like this with our partners and stakeholders help further develop the risk assessment methodologies used in our security assessments, taking into account the latest scientific knowledge and understanding of potential risks.
EU decision makers, namely the European Commission and Member State representatives, are now responsible for setting limits to the amount of a chemical that can migrate from food packaging into the food itself .
"EFSA's scientific advice on BPA will now form the basis for discussions among EU legislators on the appropriate regulatory measures to be taken to protect consumers," adds EFSA.
