FSA Consultation Letter, 20 December 2010
The Food Standards Agency is today launching a consultation, to get views on draft national regulations that will implement the European Directive banning infant feeding bottles containing Bisphenol A (BPA) for infants up to twelve months old.
The Agency is keen to hear from all stakeholders on the draft national regulations that will implement the Directive and the associated draft impact assessment.
What is BPABPA is a chemical used in polycarbonate, a type of transparent, rigid plastic. It is found in all sorts of products, from car headlights to food storage containers as well as infant feeding bottles. BPA is also used in the coatings inside food cans to prevent corrosion of the can and subsequent contamination of food and drinks. Very small amounts of BPA is known to transfer from packaging into food and drinks. There are legal limits, based upon a tolerable daily intake, for BPA in food contact materials.
About the directive
The European Commission adopted the Directive to ban BPA in infant feeding bottles in November 2010 because of ongoing consumer concerns around BPA. Indications are that industry has already taken voluntary action to limit its use in infant feeding bottles.
The latest expert scientific advice from the European Food Safety Authority’s expert panel concluded that it could not identify any new evidence that would lead it to revise the current tolerable daily intake for BPA. The FSA’s view is that exposure to BPA from food contact materials does not represent a risk to consumers, including infants. This is based upon advice from independent scientific experts. However, the FSA acknowledges the concerns of a great number of people about the use of BPA in infant feeding bottles.
A copy of the consultation package is available on this site. See: