BPA: A harmless bystander or a cold-blooded murderer?

By Jada, Assistant Politics and Education Editor

In light of recent concerns regarding the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in food products, I have decided to do some research of my own. BPA is an industrial compound used as a coating material for various food containers and in the production of polycarbonate plastic food containers. For instance, most water bottles contain some BPA.

BPA has been found to leak into food in small amounts when in direct contact with the container. This has sparked much conversation and public attention. Some researchers believe that BPA may be an “endocrine disruptor”. If BPA does interfere with the hormones in the endocrine gland, there are concerns that BPA may be a cause of cancer tumours or defects at birth.

On the other hand, the UK FSA claims that Independent studies have shown that, even when consumed at high levels, BPA is rapidly absorbed, detoxified, and eliminated from humans.

The concerns surrounding BPA are even further decreased by the fact that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has recently further restricted the acceptable TDI amount of BPA due to the persisting uncertainty regarding the risks of BPA to human health.

This is an issue in education, as it is absolutely vital that students know which products are safe to consume and which are not, as companies do not always prioritise health issues. Conversely, if a public scandal over magnifies an issue, it is vital that students receive an even-handed recount of the facts.