Bisphenol A: a health hazard

Everyone may know it as BPA and as a danger to children. However, they may not know that bisphenol A is present in the foods and beverages we drink. It has been banned since 2011 in the production of baby bottles. Also prohibited in the creation of cosmetics. A substance dangerous to health . Here is the reason, why it is thought to act as an endocrine disruptor. It can be found in the foods and drinks we consume, but the amounts of bisphenol A we ingest can be reduced.

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that can affect the balance of hormones. A great danger to the fetus and children. Bisphenol A is dangerous because it acts like estrogen, the female sex hormones. Thus it can alter the evolution and functioning of the reproductive system, the thyroid and the nervous and immune systems. But why are fetus and young children considered exposed to this substance? It is in fact used to make food containers and bottles, paints and resins with which cans and foods are coated. In addition, it is used to create thermal paper, receipts and dental materials. So it can be found in baby bottles , here is the risk for the little ones.

For adults, dietary and pooled exposure are 3 to 5 times lower than the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) tolerable daily intake. The latter has currently proposed to reduce this tolerable daily dose to 0.04 nanograms per kg of body weight per day, that is, by as many as 100 times. Here’s how you can greatly reduce your and your children’s exposure to bisphenol A.

• use of intact containers and only according to the manufacturer’s instructions to heat milk, drinks and baby food
• before pouring them into plastic containers, make sure hot liquids cool down
• do not use worn plastic containers
• use of the dishwasher to wash plastic objects, only if they are suitable for high temperatures
• rinse fresh seasonal canned fruit and vegetables well before consumption.

• Bisphenol A: when it risks entering the food we eat and why it can be dangerous (ohga.it)