Last week the US Food and Drug Administration issued the following comment as part of its response to an environmental group petition on bisphenol A (BPA) in food contact applications:

At this interim stage, FDA shares the perspective of the National Toxicology Program that recent studies provide reason for some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children. FDA also recognizes substantial uncertainties with respect to the overall interpretation of these studies and their potential implications for human health effects of BPA exposure.

Apart from an outright ban, GallonDaily cannot imagine anything more damaging to the reputation of BPA in food contact applications than this statement. Short of a sudden, and frankly unlikely, finding of total safety of BPA, this substance is now toast in the minds of environmentally concerned consumers with respect to its use in food contact applications.

GallonDaily recommends that all brandowners ensure that their packaging materials are BPA free as quickly as achievable in current market conditions.

The updated FDA position statement can be found at http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm064437.htm