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The Canadian government looks to be moving towards restricting the use of Bisphenol A (BPA) in food contact plastics. BPA is a chemical used in the manufacture of plastics and resin. These materials are then widely used to make many things from baby bottles to food containers and tableware.

Very small amounts of BPA can migrate from these materials into foods and beverages and may have the potential to interact with hormone systems in the body. That said, despite extensive research world-wide, there is no conclusive evidence of a link between adverse trends in human reproductive health and exposure to these chemicals. In addition, levels of chemical migration are already strictly monitored and controlled within the EU.

As a parent, I realise how important it is to ensure the well-being and safety of your children.  This is why I welcomed the opinion by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) last year that concluded, following an extensive review, that dietary exposure to BPA, including that of infants and children, is estimated to be well below tolerable daily intake or TDI. The TDI is an estimate of the amount of a substance, expressed on a body weight basis that can be ingested over a lifetime without appreciable risk.

This means, in terms of BPA exposure, a three month old, bottle-fed baby, weighing 6kg would need to consume more than four times the usual number of bottles of baby formula each day before it would even reach the TDI.

Here at the Food Standards Agency we will, of course, be paying close attention to all the latest research as it is important that the food we eat and the food we feed our children is safe.