Bisphenol A (BPA) and the Food Chain

As you may have heard Bisphenol-A, a carcinogen that bioaccumulates in the body, has been in the diet for several years. For years, the FDA has known about this chemical that leaches from plastics into food sources.

It wasn't until the masses became aware of the problem (through the media, of course) that labeling changed to include BPA-free notices. Please note: the FDA is the authority that monitors labeling and since they still do not recognize BPA as a threat - there is no regulation on this label. What does this mean for the consumer?...you really need to do your homework to make sure that items containing the label BPA-free are truly BPA-free. This means calling the company to double check, knowing what plastics contain BPA, and actively avoiding the substance.

The recent marketing craze to label items BPA-free has me wondering...where do we draw the line as consumers? How much of a toxic substance should be allowed in the food chain before regulations are made? When is the EPA on our side again? Only when the public is aware and is demanding changes!

What am I doing about it? I am making efforts to eliminate all plastics in the kitchen. This is a very difficult endeavor. You might say "but BPA is only in certain plastics, why get rid of all plastics?" Here's my answer: plastic is a highly reactive substance. It melts with low temperatures, acidic foods start to dissolve it, and if you put a strong smelling substance (i.e. coffee) in them - you can't get rid of the smell. This indicates that not only is your food incorporating into the plastic, but the plastic is being incorporated into your food.

We, a technological and impatient society, need to learn an important lesson here. Let's test things that go into and around our food before incorporating them at a massive scale into everyones' daily life! Can't we just test these things for 4-5 years? - and I know the answer to this is NO. We cannot, because to do so would take a huge R&D budget and government regulations that hinder capitalism. Because of this, we really need to take it upon ourselves to make wise decisions even if that means a small inconvenience of carrying a different kind of container in our lunch bags.