Chemical raw material bisphenol A (BPA) into a safety fog?

● The lining of baby milk powder tanks and the bottles of baby bottles are made of bisphenol A (BPA) chemical materials.

● In recent years, scientists have found that long-term low-dose BPA intake can also cause "unfavorable changes" in certain physiological indicators of experimental animals. This "low dose" is comparable to the maximum amount of BPA a person can consume. Therefore, many scientists questioned the safety of BPA.

Recently, some of my upcoming friends asked me about BPA. Controversy over its safety has worried young parents. So what does BPA actually mean?

BPA is a chemical raw material used in the industry for the synthesis of polycarbonate and epoxy materials. Polycarbonate (PC), a transparent, hard plastic, is commonly used to make bottles for baby bottles. Epoxy resin is often used as a metal container - such as infant milk powder lining. These plastics are in direct contact with food, and their safety naturally attracts attention. In the United States, BPA is regulated as a food additive - not that it will be added to food, but rather that its presence in the container may spread.

Traditionally, a food additive safety test involves feeding a large dose of the substance to a laboratory animal to find the animal's maximum dose without adverse reactions, and then dividing it by a safety factor (usually 100) as a safety measure against humans. dose". In addition, it is necessary to assess the possible intake of this substance in normal use. If the maximum intake of humans in the normal situation is much lower than the “safety dose”, the use of this substance is considered safe.

According to this inspection method, the use of BPA in milk bottles and milk powder cans is approved. It has been widely used since the 1960s. Until 2008, various countries and international organizations, including the EU, which is very conservative about food safety, have adopted this conclusion.

In general, this type of security verification is quite reliable. But the academic community has been looking for more sophisticated methods to assess the chronic, subtle toxicity that cannot be found in traditional ways. The main approach is to allow the animal to take a long-term intake of low-dose "suspicious substances", and then detect some of the animal body's previously undetectable physiological indicators. In recent years, scientists have discovered that long-term, low-dose BPA intake can also cause "unfavorable changes" in certain physiological parameters in laboratory animals. This "low dose" is comparable to the maximum amount of BPA a person can consume. Based on this, many scientists questioned the safety of BPA.

U.S. agencies first conducted a summary review of these studies, stating that while there is currently no direct evidence that BPA may be damaging to the health of infants and children, the potential risks cannot be ignored. Therefore, BPA has received a “certain concern” rating. Based on this conclusion, the US FDA believes that it is necessary to conduct further in-depth research on the safety of BPA. Before further conclusions, the FDA did not ban its use. Instead, it “takes action to reduce its use in food”. Its measures include: supporting manufacturers to stop producing bottles and cups containing BPA; and assisting in the development of alternatives to the lining of milk powder tanks. Materials; supports the replacement of BPA in lining materials for other food containers. In addition, the FDA supports more active and effective management of the use of BPA as well as more in-depth scientific research on it. However, the FDA does not recommend that parents change the use of formula or other baby foods. They believe that in the absence of breast milk, only formula milk can provide stable and balanced nutrition - although infant formula containers may contain BPA, the benefits of formula milk still exceed the potential risk that BPA may bring.

BPA's security concerns do not actually support direct evidence. However, for food safety, especially for infants and young children, we need to adopt a more conservative attitude. The treatment of BPA is such a "careful" embodiment. After the latest security review on BPA was published, all countries took a prudent approach. Canada banned the use of BPA. The BPA safety report issued by the EU in 2008 has also been questioned and they have therefore started a new review. Other countries and the World Health Organization also expressed considerable concern about this and began to review the impact of BPA on food safety.