The Department of Health and Human Service’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry has posted on its website a draft toxicological profile for acrylamide, a chemical by-product of some high-temperature cooking processes that has been linked to cancer in laboratory rats. The agency is accepting public comments on the profile until February 26, 2010.
Category Archives Issue 325
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) has announced that it will spend $30 million on two-year research grants targeting the potential health risks of bisphenol A (BPA) exposure. The ubiquitous chemical is used to make polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins that may leach into foods and beverages from product packaging. “We know that many people are concerned about bisphenol A, and we want to support the best science we can to provide the answers,” NIEHS Director Linda Birnbaum was quoted as saying. NIEHS and the National Toxicology Program identified BPA as a priority after concluding in 2008 that evidence from animal studies showed that BPA “may be causing adverse effects.” Researchers will reportedly focus on low-dose BPA exposure and compile data on “a number of health effects including behavior, obesity, diabetes, reproductive disorders, development of prostate, breast and uterine cancer, asthma, cardiovascular diseases and transgenerational or epigenetic effects.”…
The food industry has reportedly halted a new front-of-packaging (FOP) labeling campaign pending Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidance. According to an October 23, 2009, press release, the Smart Choices Program™ voluntarily postponed active operations after FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg indicated “that the agency intends to develop standardized criteria on which future front-of-package nutrition or shelf labeling will be based.” While awaiting FDA guidance, the program will no longer enroll new companies or encourage use of the logo. “We welcome the FDA’s interest in developing uniform front-of-package and shelf-labeling criteria,” said program chair Mike Hughes. “The Smart Choices Program shares that exact goal, and was designed to provide a voluntary front-of-package labeling program that could promote informed food choices and help consumers construct healthier diets. We continue to believe the Smart Choices Program is an important step in the right direction.” See Reuters, October 23, 2009; FoodNavigator-USA.com and UPI.com, October…
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