A group of international experts are to be invited to a top level summit on bisphenol A (BPA) by the EU Food Safety Authority (EFSA). EFSA aid it will outline its draft opinion on the chemical at the meeting with national specialists due to take place by April. Specialists will be able to discuss EFSA's on-going work on the substance & put forward relevant national research "in support of the finalisation of EFSA's opinion." Members of EFSA's Advisory Forum have been asked to nominate experts to take part in the assembly alongside members of the CEF Panel's working group on BPA. EFSA said its assessment of BPA is currently being prepared by the food contacts panel. It is drawing up the opinion, expected to be adopted by May 2010, after a request from the EU Commission Oct/09 to evaluate the relevance of a new study on possible neuro-developmental effects of BPA. Officials in Brussels also asked the food safety body to consider whether it was necessary to update the existing Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI). In 2006, EFSA published its original opinion establishing a full TDI of 0.05 mg BPA/kg bw. This was re-affirmed in a second opinion adopted in July 2008.
