A new EFSA opinion after that of 2015 proposes to drastically lower the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) of Bisphenol A (BPA)
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousBisphenol A (BPA) is one of the many controversial substances to which we unfortunately continue to be exposed through everyday foods and objects. The Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI), i.e. the safety threshold not to be exceeded, was set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2015. However, the risks of this substance have now been reviewed and it is proposed to lower it considerably .
BPA is a chemical often used to make food-grade containers. However, the risk, now highlighted by various studies, is that this can migrate into foods with all the dangers that this entails for our health. And it is precisely on these risks that the new EFSA document has focused, which in fact updates the 2015 opinion.
Read also: Bisphenol A safe for health. Word of EFSA. But is it really so?
What the document asks in practice is for reassess the TDI, that is the estimate of the quantity of Bisphenol A (expressed in relation to body weight in kg) that can be ingested daily without taking risks. And the new threshold required, in the light of the most recent scientific evidence, is decidedly much lower than the previous one.
In 2015, EFSA set a temporary maximum level of 4 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day. In the new draft assessment, however, a TDI of 0,04 nanograms per kilogram of body weight per day is established.
Why this drastic change? Reference is made to a series of studies that appeared between 2013 and 2018 which highlighted various health risks of exposure to BPA, in particular those on the immune system.
In fact, some research has shown an increase in the number of "T-helper" cells, white blood cells that play a fundamental role in cellular immune mechanisms and which, if in excessive numbers, can lead to the development of allergic lung inflammation.
To draft the new draft on TDI relating to Bisphenol A, EFSA also used the publication and then testing of a hazard assessment protocol in 2017 and 2019.
When considering the new TDI, EFSA warns that medium and high exposure to Bisphenol A exceed the limits in all age groups, which obviously raises some concern.
EFSA's new conclusions on BPA are set out in a draft scientific opinion which remained in public consultation until 8 February 2022. On 24 January, EFSA organized a virtual meeting with stakeholders on the draft scientific opinion on the reassessment of public health risks associated with the presence of bisphenol A (BPA) in food. The final opinion is expected to be adopted by December 2022
Read all of our articles on BPA.
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Source: Efsa
Read also:
- BPA: We are probably exposed to Bisphenol A a lot more than we always thought
- BPA: 10 Ways To Lower Your Whole Family's Exposure To Bisphenol A.
- Stop to phthalates, BPA and endocrine disruptors: the European Parliament calls for a dividend in cosmetics, toys and food
- Are Bpa Free plastics really safe?
- Bisphenol A (BPA): still present in 38% of canned foods
