International Formula Council Statement on Bisphenol A (BPA)

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IFC Statement on BPA (Dec 2011)

The infant formula industry takes all potential safety concerns very seriously, and we support science-based efforts to produce infant formula products of the highest possible quality.  When new information becomes available on substances like BPA, we support bringing that information forward through the accepted process of scientific peer review and evaluation.  The International Formula Council* (IFC) and its members remain committed to working in collaboration with government and regulatory authorities to protect the health and safety of infants worldwide.

Below are recent international regulatory and health organization reviews on the safety of BPA.

• In December 2011, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) upheld its 2006 Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) level for BPA of 0.05 mg/kg body weight.  Over the past five years, EFSA has continuously evaluated new scientific information regarding BPA and repeatedly upheld the TDI, implying BPA does not pose a risk to human health.ⁱ
• In December 2011, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) stated “the overwhelming weight of scientific opinion [regarding BPA] shows no human health and safety concerns at the levels people are exposed to.”ⁱⁱ
• In August 2011, Japan’s Research Institute of Science for Safety and Sustainability, a division of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, updated their hazard assessment of BPA and concluded the human health risk from BPA exposure is “very small”.ⁱⁱⁱ 
• In June 2011, a robust clinical exposure study funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and carried out by researchers from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that BPA concentrations in the blood are extremely low, including periods of high dietary exposure.^iv
• In November 2010, the World Health Organization, following an expert meeting to review the toxicological and health aspects of BPA, concluded that the “initiation of public health measures [to address BPA] would be premature.”^v 
• In January 2010, the FDA reaffirmed the safety of BPA for use in all food contact applications, noting studies employing standardized toxicology tests support safety at current low levels of human exposure.^vi In December 2011, FDA announced they will provide an updated assessment on the safety of BPA in food packaging by March 31, 2012.
• Health Canada has conducted numerous surveys of BPA in foods and beverages, including infant formula, and repeatedly stated: “The current dietary exposure to BPA through food packaging is not expected to pose a health risk to the general population, including infants and young children.  The nutritional benefits of baby food products far outweigh any possible risk."^vii

In summary, IFC and its members support a thorough scientific approach to determine the safety of BPA, which is currently being utilized by FDA and numerous international regulatory agencies.  This standard, multi-step, evidence-based scientific review process to establish a sound risk assessment is based on well-defined criteria and continues to support the safety of BPA.

Parents and health professionals can be assured infant formula is safe and nutritious.

December 2011*The IFC is an association of manufacturers and marketers of formulated nutrition products, e.g., infant formulas and adult nutritionals, whose members are based predominantly in North America.  IFC members are: Abbott Nutrition; Mead Johnson Nutrition; Nestlé Infant Nutrition; PBM Products, LLC, A Perrigo Company; and Pfizer Nutrition.