16 – Bisphenol A

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastic, epoxy resins, and a number of commonly used products. This chapter discusses the routes by which BPA can enter food, the levels of BPA that have been measured in food, and levels of human BPA intake. It also reviews possible mechanisms of BPA toxicity and the potential for the low levels of BPA, to which people are exposed, to affect health. Finally, the positions of government bodies in their scientific reviews of the potential health risks of BPA are also discussed.