On January 30, the US FDA and Health Canada’s Health Products and Food Branch hosted a meeting of US and Canadian manufacturers and users of food packaging materials containing bisphenol A (BPA) to discuss techniques in minimizing BPA levels in food.

The meeting covered the two regulatory bodies’ current activities and planned research to further assess the exposure to BPA. It also provided a dialog on how to reduce BPA migration into food. Those in attendance spoke of using alternative materials, especially in the manufacture of baby bottles.

Based on all available evidence, the consensus of regulatory agencies in the US, Canada, Europe and Japan is that the current levels of exposure to BPA through food packaging do not seem to pose an immediate health risk to the general population, including infants and young children.

Health Canada’s Health Products and Food Branch concluded that current dietary exposure to BPA through food packaging uses is not expected to pose a health risk to the general population, including newborns and infants. However, using a precautionary approach, the Government of Canada has taken steps to reduce exposure to BPA for infants and young children.