Food Packaging Containing BPA Still Safe For Consumer

A number of Australian and New Zealand government regulatory agencies have been monitoring developments overseas regarding the use of BPA in plastic packaging china. The issue first came to light when the Canadian Government, responding to consumer concerns, effectively banned the use of plastic baby bottles in that country. There were fears that the industrial chemical Bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA, could potentially contaminate the contents of food and beverage packaging used by millions of consumers. BPA is present in the plastic liner that keeps the contents of the packaging from touching any metal present in the container or the lid.

Food packaging suppliers must make sure their products meet the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) requirements. FSANZ has established that the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) for BPA, an internationally established safe level, is very low and is not a significant risk to human health for any age group, infants included.

Further studies by both the European Food Safety Authority and the World Health Organisation confirmed that, even though some studies had indicated that low exposure levels to BPA could produce adverse health effects, there was no need at this stage to revise the current TDI.

The difficulty for the scientific community in coming up with a definitive answer is that the studies so far, which have all been conducted on laboratory animals, are inconclusive, with one study indicating some effect on the reproductive system, and another showing no effect. The other overriding consideration is that BPA does not stay in the body but is quickly eliminated through urine. There is no evidence that BPA causes cancer.

Australia and New Zealand have followed the lead of the Canadian Government and also moved to phase out polycarbonate plastic baby bottles through a voluntary approach taken up by major retailers. This commenced on 1 July 2010 and there are now many BPA-free options on the market. Again, this is a response to consumer demand and not an issue of product safety.

Further tests were conducted by FSANZ on a range of foods and beverages including infant formula and foods packaged in polycarbonate plastics, steel cans with epoxy lining and glass jars with metal lids. Only a small number of samples showed levels of BPA, and large amounts of food and drink would need to be consumed to reach the international safety levels. Packaging suppliers are well aware of these studies and work constantly to ensure consumer safety.

The Australian and New Zealand consumer can be reassured from these further tests, that BPA levels in our general diet are low, but FSANZ will continue to test and monitor the situation.