EFSA announced 31/03/10 the basic outline in the first of a series of planned plenary meetings on the subject of bisphenol A (BPA). This is an industrial chemical widely used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics, including materials which come into contact with food & has been linked to a number of possible health problems. The meeting, at EFSAs HQ, Parma, Italy, 26 March, was attended by 25 experts nominated by 19 EU countries, as well as members of EFSAs scientific Panel on food contact materials & representatives of the EU Commission. EFSA outlined the draft Opinion on BPA which is currently being prepared by the CEF Panel, as well as initial findings of its review of recent scientific literature. Panel members stressed that all scientific information will be critically analysed to determine its importance to the safety assessment of BPA. Experts from Denmark, France and Germany presented their recent or ongoing assessments of BPA at the meeting, which gave participants the opportunity to contribute any other relevant information.
