DTU’s National Food Institute Rejects EFSA’s Assessment of Bisphenol A
The Technical University of Denmark’s (DTU’s) National Food Institute has rejected the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA’s) recent bisphenol A (BPA) assessment, claiming that the agency’s decision to set the tolerable daily intake (TDI) at 4 micrograms per kilogram body weight per day does not adequately protect consumers. After examining EFSA’s toxicological evaluation, National Food Institute’s researchers criticized the scientific opinion for not applying an appropriate uncertainty factor and failing to take into account animal studies allegedly showing the effects of BPA on reproductive health and neurological development.
The National Food Institute has instead proposed a TDI of less than 0.7 µg/ kg bw/day to protect against “endocrine disrupting effects.” In particular, the scientists note that, according to EFSA, men and women at the highest exposure levels are currently exposed to more than 1 microgram of BPA per kilogram per day, “while children and teenagers are exposed to between 1.26 and 1.45 micrograms per kilogram [per] day.”
“[C]omparison of the exposure to the TDI recommended by the National Food Institute shows that humans with a high exposure may exceed the safe limit. Their intake can come from food, cash receipts and cosmetics,” said Ulla Hass, head of the National Food Institute’s Research Group. “The health risks of bisphenol A are of concern particularly for highly exposed persons. The concern applies particularly to pregnant or breastfeeding women as well as children as they will be sensitive to potential effects that occur even at low doses of the compound.” See National Food Institute News Release, February 23, 2015.
Issue 557
