Compounds found in plastic products used to wrap or contain food & beverages have aroused concerns as possible cancer-causing agents because they can sometimes leach out of the plastic & migrate into the food, researchers are claiming. The likelihood of this happening is said to be increased after heating or when the plastic is old or scratched. In two studies funded by the Nat Inst Environmental Health Sciences, researchers at Fox Chace Cancer Centre in the US, have demonstrated that two plasticiser compounds, BPA & BBP, are environmental estrogens capable of affecting gene expression in the mammary glands of young female laboratory rats exposed to the compounds through mother's milk. BPA is a synthetic resin used in food packaging, dental sealants & polycarbonate plastic products. BBP is a widely used plasticiser used in food wrap & cosmetics.
