European Food Safety Authority invites experts to discuss Bisphenol A The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will invite national experts from the EU Member States to a meeting by early April to discuss its ongoing scientific work with regard to bisphenol A (BPA).

At the meeting, EFSA, the EU’s food safety watchdog, the will outline its draft opinion on BPA, which is currently being prepared by EFSA’s scientific panel on food contact materials (CEF Panel), prior to its expected adoption in May 2010. The meeting will allow Member States to contribute any relevant national work in support of the finalisation of EFSA’s opinion.

Members of EFSA’s Advisory Forum have been asked to nominate national experts to take part in the meeting alongside members of the CEF Panel’s working group on BPA.

EFSA published scientific opinions on BPA in January 2007 and July 2008. In October 2009, EFSA received a further request from the European Commission to assess the relevance of a new study on possible neurodevelopmental effects of BPA and, if necessary, to update the existing Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) accordingly.

• Opinion of the Scientific Panel on food additives, flavourings, processing aids and materials in contact with food (AFC) related to 2,2-BIS(4-HYDROXYPHENYL)PROPANE

• Toxicokinetics of Bisphenol A - Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Food additives, Flavourings, Processing aids and Materials in Contact with Food (AFC)

This news comes at a timely moment. The 5th Feburary saw the French food safety authority (Agence Francaise de Securite Sanitaire des Aliments, Afssa) recoginse the existence of health threats from Bisphenol A.

In a report released last week, Afssa acknowledge new elements and alarming signals, particularly in behavior and reproduction following pre and post natal exposure to BPA, according to an article in Le Monde.

However, whilst it is positive to see that Afssa’s new position on BPA is one that recognises the existence of alarming indications, French environment and health groups say that it falls short of the mark. HEAL member Le Réseau Environnement Santé (RES) states that Afssa have failed to draw on the necessary consequences and provide no evidence for harmful impacts on BPA on human health.