Bisphenol levels in packaging, food and urine are the subject of four scientific studies. Food Packaging Forum reports, where experts from the academic world, civil society, industry, regulatory authorities and the media work for scientific communication and research.
Bisphenol is an endocrine disruptor, which alters hormonal and metabolic balances, such as we have seen.
Bisphenol A in packaging, epoxy cans
Un team of Nigerian researchers from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, detected bisphenol A levels in 36 epoxy-coated cans used as the packaging for malt drinks.
Analyzes were performed on drinks, after having exposed the cans to three temperature levels (4, 25 and 31 ° C) for 3, 7, 15 and 30 days.
The role of time and temperature
The tests show that BPA migration increases with higher temperatures. Over time, however, the results are reversed: migration increases over time at the two lowest temperatures, while at the highest one (31 ° C, i.e. exposure to the sun) it first decreases and then increases.
The scientists detected BPA in all samples at levels between 0,0166 and 0,2131 μg / L. Bisphenol was also found in the control sample, a malt drink in a glass bottle, but in a lower concentration (0,0048 µg / L).
What daily dose
Values detected are considered safe by researchers, because they cause a lower than acceptable daily intake (ADI) exposure of 4 mg / kg body weight per day.
However,, the study authors point out that 'the ability of BPA to bioaccumulate and the potential additive effects of consuming other BPA-containing food contact materials are cause for concern'.
Also for this, in December 2021, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) he proposed to reduce the tolerable daily intake of BPA from 4 µg / kg bw / day to 0,04 ng / kg bw / day.
Four types of bisphenol in bottled water and honey
All projects University of Science and Technology, Beijing, China, a team of researchers measured the levels of four types of bisphenol (A, S, F, AF) in 34 water and honey samples purchased in Beijing supermarkets.
Our products analyzed are
- water bottled in polycarbonate (PC) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET),
- soda (carbonated water) in PET or metal,
- honey packaged in PC, PET or an unknown type of plastic.
More contaminated honey
Analyzes detected bisphenol in all types of samples, regardless of the type of packaging.
The concentrations highest are in samples of honey contaminated with three types of bisphenol:
- BPF in 12 of 13 samples, with levels up to 766,7 µg / kg,
- BPS in six samples and levels up to 209,09 µg / kg e
- BPAF in eight samples and levels up to 197,7 µg / kg.
The BPA was detected in four drinking water samples and one carbonated sample, in concentrations up to 1,08 µg / L and 11,40 µg / L, respectively.
Bisphenol S in Canadian meat
Bisphenol S (BPS) is a bisphenol also commonly used in packaging to replace BPA although it can be equally harmful. Researchers from Health Canada found it in Canadian meat products marketed from 2008 to 2020, thus suggesting that BPS contamination is not a recent phenomenon, let alone related to packaging.
Researchers collected and analyzed 11 different meats and meat products in various Canadian cities between 2008 and 2020. Analyzing them they found BPS in all the beef steak samples, roast beef, minced meat, fresh pork, veal cutlets, lamb and organs.
Most contaminated pork and veal
Levels of bisphenol were higher in fresh pork (105 ng / g) and veal cutlets (140 ng / g) since 2008.
The evidence show that 'the presence of BPS in meat is not a recent phenomenon'and require investigating other sources of contamination besides food packaging. (4)
Bisphenol in the urine of Belgians
In the Belgian studio by Catherine Pirard del Laboratory of Clinical, Forensic and Environmental Toxicology and Corinne Charlier of the University of Liège, the trend of bisphenol in the urine of the Belgian population is measured in 2018 compared to 2015. (5)
Using the biological material provided by 92 adults living in Liege, the researchers compared the levels of BPA, BPS, BPF, bisphenol Z (BPZ) and bisphenol P (BPP) in 2015 and 2018.
The result has shown that all alternatives to bisphenol A 'were measured in higher concentrations in 2018 than in 2015, while BPA levels did not differ significantly'.
It seems therefore that the alternative bisphenols to BPA are adding to bisphenol A, instead of replacing it (which is without benefit).
Footnotes
(1) Lisa Zimmermann. Scientists explore international bisphenol levels in packaging, food, and urine. Food Packaging Forum., 5.8.22
(2) Ucheana, IA et al (2022). Migration of bisphenol A from epoxy-can malt drink under various storage conditions and evaluation of its health risk. International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry. DOI: 10.1038 / s41597-022-01365-8
(3) Wei Meng, Hongmei Li, Kaiqing Wang, Yanqiu Cao. Determination of four bisphenols in plastic packaging beverages by ultrasonic-assisted dispersive liquid – liquid microextraction. Packaging Technology and Science, 17.7.2022 https://doi.org/10.1002/pts.2677
(4) Xu-Liang Cao, Simon Zhou, Svetlana Popovic & Robert Dabeka. Temporal trend of bisphenol S occurrence in meat samples from 2008–2020 Canadian total diet study. Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A, DOI: 10.1080 / 19440049.2022.2099985
(5) C. Pirard, C. Charlier. Urinary levels of parabens, phthalate metabolites, bisphenol A and plasticizer alternatives in a Belgian population: Time trend or impact of an awareness campaign? Environmental Research, Volume 214, Part 2, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2022.113852.
A professional journalist since January 1995, she has worked for newspapers (Il Messaggero, Paese Sera, La Stampa) and periodicals (NumeroUno, Il Salvagente). She is the author of journalistic studies on food and has published the book "Reading labels to know what we eat".
