New fears surface over bisphenol A

Food production daily: "A study by the French National Institute of Agronomic Research (INRA) found BPA caused a negative reaction in the intestine of rats – even at low doses. The report was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy Sciences and focused on the digestive tract as the first organ the chemical comes into contact with after being consumed.

INRA said its team orally administered doses of BPA to the rats that were equivalent to about 10 times less than the daily amount considered safe for humans. The Toulouse-based body’s research was also carried out on human intestine cells and revealed the chemical lowered the permeability of the intestines and the immune system's response to digestive inflammation. They also found that newborn rats exposed to BPA in the uterus and during feeding have a higher risk of developing severe intestinal inflammation in adulthood."

These findings illustrate the intestine's great sensitivity to Bisphenol A and open new research paths for characterising and evaluating the effects of endocrine disruptors from food,” said a statement from the researchers.

It added: “They may also contribute to risk assessment and the determination of new acceptable exposure thresholds for these molecules.”

BPA warning

Concern about the substance grew further when the director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Toxicology Program warned people - particularly pregnant women and children - not to consume the substance.