WHAT IS BPA?

Without getting too technical, BPA is a chemical that has been used to harden plastics for more than 40 years. It’s everywhere. It’s in medical devices, compact discs, dental sealants, water bottles, the lining of canned foods and drinks, tops of baby jars, formula tins, and many other products.

More than 90% of us have BPA in our bodies right now. We get most of it by eating foods that have been in containers made with BPA. It’s also possible to pick up BPA through air, dust, and water.

BPA is still common in baby bottles, sippy cups, baby formula cans, and other products for babies and young children.

HOW COULD BPA AFFECT THE BODY? AREAS OF CONCERN:

Hormone levels. Some experts believe that BPA could theoretically act like a hormone in the body, disrupting normal hormone levels and development in fetuses, babies, and children.
Animal studies have had mixed results.

Brain and behavior problems. After a review of the evidence, the National Toxicology Program at the FDA expressed concern about BPA’s possible effects on the brain
and behavior of infants and young children.

Cancer. Some animal studies have shown a possible link between BPA exposure and a later increased risk of cancer.

Heart problems. Two studies have found that adults with the highest levels of BPA in their bodies seem to have a higher incidence of heart problems.
However, the higher incidence could be unrelated to BPA.

Other conditions. Some experts have looked into a connection between BPA exposure and many conditions — obesity, diabetes, ADHD, and others. The evidence isn’t strong enough to show a link.

Increased risk to children. Some studies suggest that possible effects from BPA could be most pronounced in infants and young children. Their bodies are still developing and they are less efficient at eliminating substances from their systems.

BPA IN EUROPE:

In January 2011, the European Commission adopted Directive 2011/8/EU, prohibiting the use of BPA for the manufacture of polycarbonate infant feeding bottles.

BPA IN AUSTRALIA:

Australia has taken no action on BPA yet.

The organisation called “food standards Australia & NZ” pretends that the risk is low based on a few studies on rats. They refuse the idea that a danger exists in such low quantities present in food products, BUT the same organisation announced a voluntary phase out of BPA use in polycarbonate baby bottles.

We find it strange that they would “phase it out” if there was no risk!? You wonder …

(source: http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/chemicals/bpa/Pages/default.aspx)

To date, most baby jars in Australia contain BPA; we recommend to stay away from this. (source: http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/bisphenol.htm)