What toxic substances or metabolites do we store in our body? That is the question that the German project HBM4EU tries to answer with the biomonitoring of the European population. Bisphenol A is one of those toxic substances that the aforementioned project has found in high concentrations in the body of many Europeans. What is bisphenol A, where is it found and how can we avoid it?
Bisphenol A: where is it present and why should we take it into account?
Bisphenol A (BPA) is an industrial chemical that has been used to make some plastics and resins since the fifties. Plastics such as some water bottles contain BPA. It is also used to coat the inside of metal products such as food cans.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) explains that bisphenol A is safe at low levels that occur in some foods. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) placed in 0.04 nanograms per kilo of body weight maximum values recommended levels of BPA in our body.
Previously that recommended maximum was well above, at about 4 micrograms. We can see how concern about this toxic substance has been growing, since there is solid evidence that a large majority of the human population is exposed to BPAaccording to the group HBM4EU.
Already in 2011 the use of bisphenol A in baby bottles in the European Union was prohibited, but it has continued to be used in many other products. Instead it has replaced by bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol F (BPF)but it could be that these substances are also toxic.
This is how we can ingest bisphenol A
BPA can leak from the container into the food or drink, especially if we expose that product to the sun. Has it ever happened to you that you have left a bottle of water in the sun and when you went to drink it it tasted like “plastic”? That’s because the plastic material has leaked into the water.
A few years ago, the content of bisphenol A in the purchase receipts of establishments went viral, especially those in which erased the ink when we touched them. Therefore, we can introduce this toxic substance simply by being in contact with it and ingesting it.
Current situation of bisphenol A and how to get rid of it
The Spanish Waste Law exposes the prohibition of the use of bisphenol A in any food and beverage packaging from 2023. Until then we can avoid using products that contain both Bisphenol A and its replacements Bisphenol S and F.
In the label may show that they are BPA-free products. If they don’t show it on the label, look for the recycling code (a triangle located on the container) and avoid the number three and seven because they may contain BPA, although not all do.
Avoid heating bottles, cans and any plastic container. Do not leave them in the sun, or use them in the microwave or in the dishwasher, as they will raise their temperature and can release these toxic substances. Use alternatives to plastic such as glass, porcelain or stainless steel.
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