April 22,2010

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) met recently with national experts from across Europe to discuss bisphenol A (BPA).

BPA is widely used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics, including materials which come into contact with food, and has been linked to a number of possible health problems. 

At the meeting, which was attended by 25 scientific experts from 19 different countries, EFSA outlined its draft opinion on BPA as well as the initial findings of its review of recent scientific literature. The national representatives were invited to add any relevant information from their own research that may have a bearing on EFSA's final verdict on BPA, with France, Germany, and Denmark presenting their recent or ongoing assessments of BPA. The experts also sought to reach a consensus on the methodology that research studies on BPA should employ.

EFSA is expected to finalize its opinion in late May 2010 and provide the European Commission with an up-to-date overview on the safety of BPA.

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