Jul 15 2013
Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reiterated the safety of bisphenol A (BPA) epoxy resin coatings at the low levels consumers encounter in packaged food and beverage items, clearly spelling out its position on the agency website for consumers. Today, FDA announced that it is amending the food additive regulations to eliminate the use of BPA-based epoxy resin coatings in infant formula packaging.
The North American Metal Packaging Alliance, Inc. (NAMPA) issued the following statement from Dr. John Rost, NAMPA Chairman, in response to this announcement:
“The FDA notice makes clear that the agency’s decision to eliminate the use of BPA-based epoxy resin in infant formula packaging is not related to the safety of BPA, but is based solely on a determination that manufacturers are no longer using BPA-based epoxy resin coatings in infant formula packaging. Despite the clarity of FDA’s statements on BPA’s safety in the FDA notice and on the FDA website, NAMPA is concerned about the potential for consumers to be misled or confused regarding FDA’s decision. We hope the media will work diligently to ensure the public fully understands that FDA did not act out of concern over the safety of BPA, and is, in fact, on record that BPA is safe.”
The position of FDA is consistent with other regulatory agencies around the world, including Health Canada’s position: “Health Canada’s Food Directorate continues to conclude that current dietary exposure to BPA through food packaging uses is not expected to pose a health risk to the general population, including newborns and young children.”
FDA’s decision on the food additives regulation, to be published in the July 12 Federal Register, stems from a petition filed last year by now-Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts. Although FDA accepted Markey’s assertion that the industry had abandoned the use of BPA, the agency left open the door for its future use, stating that manufacturers wishing to utilize BPA in the future could do so through the food contact notification process.
About NAMPA
The North American Metal Packaging Alliance, Inc. and its members support sound science and trust the scientific review process that has protected our food supply for decades. For further information, visit www.metal-pack.org.
Source: http://www.metal-pack.org/