Denmark has criticised a second EFSA delay in delivering its verdict on bisphenol A (BPA). In March on the basis of an assessment by the National Food Institute at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU Food), the Danish government, together with the Danish People’s Party, decided to invoke the principle of precaution and introduce a temporary national ban on bisphenol A in materials in contact with food for children aged 0 – 3 years (infant feeding bottles, feeding cups and packaging for baby food).The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration noted that DTU Food did not find that the new study sheds new light on the uncertainties about the possible impact of small doses of bisphenol A on the development of the nervous system. The Institute pointed out the uncertainties earlier. In 2008, the Danish Minister of Food asked the EU Commission and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to clarify these uncertainties through new, well-documented and thorough scientific studies. Therefore the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration finds there is a need for further studies in order to obtain the necessary knowledge. More from Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture & Fisheries.
The latest from EFSA states that in order to give the European Commission an up-to-date overview of the safety of BPA, EFSA is working on a comprehensive opinion on BPA. The Panel retrieved more than 800 publications and the screening process has taken considerably more time than anticipated. At its Plenary on 6-8 July 2010, the Panel spent most of the time discussing elements in the studies and there was insufficient time to finalise and adopt the full opinion. In a letter to the European Commission, EFSA has indicated that the Panel, in its deliberations to date, would maintain the TDI for BPA at 0.05 milligram/kg body weight per day. At the same time, the Panel has identified areas of uncertainty, which merit further consideration. Members of the CEF Panel will continue to work on the opinion through the summer via teleconferences to finalise the full opinion and is scheduled to meet in an extraordinary Plenary in September to adopt the opinion. More from EFSA here.
Update 4th August: EC urges scientists to adopt common approach on Bisphenol A
European Commission scientists from the body’s Joint Research Centre have stated that there is a need to agree harmonised test programmes that can be validated by independent experts to solve the controversy over Bisphenol A.. The Joint Research Centre report “Bisphenol A and baby bottles: challenges and perspectives” provides an overview of the results from various risk assessments and pinpoints the areas of uncertainty. The report states the presence of BPA in polycarbonate bottles, epoxy linings in food and drink cans and food containers means exposure to the chemical is widespread, however, uncertainty over the risks posed is due to “diverging opinions on the reliability of studies carried out with different methodologies, which result in contradictory interpretation of the data to date. In all cases, co-operation and synergies between academia and regulatory bodies in the area of regulatory toxicology should be sought for and promoted to get the best scientific contribution out of both players.” The report also calls for a step up in the search for suitable Bisphenol A alternative.