ARLINGTON, VA (August 15, 2008) — In a comprehensive draft scientific assessment issued today, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) strongly reaffirms the safety of food-contact products containing bisphenol A (BPA). Bisphenol A is used to make polycarbonate plastic products such as baby bottles and sippy cups, and is used in epoxy linings of cans to help to protect the safety and integrity of foods and beverages.

“FDA is the premier agency responsible for the safety of our food,” stated Steven G. Hentges, Ph.D. of the American Chemistry Council’s Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group. “FDA’s thorough analysis confirms that food contact products made from polycarbonate plastic, including products for infants and children, can continue to be used safely.”

FDA is the regulatory agency charged with food safety, so its review focuses on the safety of bisphenol A in food-contact products, with a particular focus on the safety of products for infants and children. The draft assessment carefully considered recent reports from government and scientific bodies in the US, Canada and Europe, and includes FDA’s independent analysis of key scientific studies on the safety of bisphenol A. Taking into account the most recent data, FDA’s assessment is the most up-to-date analysis on the safety of bisphenol A in the world.

FDA’s draft assessment concludes that people are exposed very low levels of bisphenol A and states that “an adequate margin of safety exists for BPA at current levels of exposure from food contact uses.” These conclusions are consistent with the findings of many other recent reviews conducted by government agencies worldwide. In particular, FDA’s conclusions are supported by reviews recently conducted by the European Food Safety Authority and the Japanese National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, which point to an international consensus on the safety of bisphenol A in food-contact products.

The draft assessment will undergo full scientific peer review. For more information on bisphenol A, please visit: http://www.bisphenol-a.org.

Download Assessment (PDF 7.61 MB)