The research adds to a growing body of scientific evidence indicating that BPA should not be used for food contact materials. BPA shows negative effects in brain tissue "at surprisingly low doses" researchers say in two articles in the December 2005 edition of the journal Endocrinology.
"In the face of more than 100 studies published in peer-reviewed journals showing the detrimental effects of BPA, the chemical industry and federal regulatory agencies have resisted banning BPA from plastics used as food and beverage containers, despite the fact that plastics free of BPA and other toxic chemicals are available," states Scott Belcher, head of the University of Cincinnati research team.
"While plastics are typically thought of as being stable, scientists have known for many years that the chemical linkage between BPA molecules was unstable, and that BPA leaches into food or beverages in contact with the plastics," adds Belcher.
FoodProductionDaily/Europe reports:
Scientific research has often implicated BPA in disease or developmental problems. The chemical has long been known to act as an artificial estrogen, the primary hormone involved in female sexual development.
BPA has already been shown to increase breast cancer cell growth. In the January 2005 edition of the journal Cancer Research, another University of Cincinnati research team reported that it increased the growth of some prostate cancer cells as well.
Warnings about other possible long-term health risks associated with fetal exposures to BPA have also been discussed in recent scientific literature.
They also report, "BPA is used in the production of epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics. The plastics are used in many food and drink packaging applications. Resins are commonly used as lacquers to coat metal products such as food cans, milk container linings, bottle tops, water supply pipes and dental sealants."
Like I've mentioned many times before, this is just one more IMPORTANT reason supplement manufacturers NEED to step up on the side of health and wellness and start using pharmaceutical grade bottles/containers.
