TheMillerCircle.org

Today’s Washington Post has an interesting article on the question of bisphenol A safety, as this product has been widely distributed in plastics and food can liners since the 1950s. It is now suspected as a causative agent in human diseases including breast cancer, testicular cancer and human development; the product leaches out of the plastic to contaminate food and at higher temperatures, the leaching problem is much worse. Several bills on Capitol Hill are under consideration for banning BPA from all food products, but the food and beverage industry looks like they’re digging in their heals by considering a campaign of denial by initiating a public relations effort, using a pregnant woman talking about the benefits of BPA. As the article points out, this sounds like the same pathway that the Asbestos and tobacco industries took when their products were challenged. Canada has banned BPA in baby bottles and Chicago has banned BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups. There are substitutes for BPA, but the FDA still approves BPA based on studies conducted by the chemical industry. The FDA has been roundly criticized by its own scientific advisory board for using data provided by studies supported by industry. In the meantime, here is a warning label that we could justifiably put on most American canned or bottled food products:

Warning: the American Food and Beverage Industry has no commitment to the health of those individuals that are stupid enough to buy and consume our products.

There are numerous sources of BPA-free containers, such as water bottles.

RFM