Selection of recent assessments by national and international agencies that have provided important recommendations to risk managers
Bisphenol A: EFSA proposes a significant lowering of the tolerable dose and considers human exposure in Europe of concern.
Consultation open until 22/2 The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reviewed the risks of bisphenol A (BPA) in food by proposing to significantly lower the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) compared to its previous assessment in 2015. EFSA's new conclusions on BPA are set out in a draft scientific opinion available for public consultation until February 22, 2022. All interested parties are invited to participate. In its 2015 BPA risk assessment, EFSA established a temporary TDI of 4 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day. In the new draft assessment, EFSA has established a TDI of 0.04 nanograms per kilogram of body weight per day. The lowering of the TDI is the result of the evaluation of studies that appeared in the literature from 2013 to 2018, in particular those that highlight adverse effects of BPA on the immune system: Comparing the new TDI with estimates of consumer exposure to BPA via diet, EFSA concludes that human exposure in Europe exceeds the new TDI in all age groups, thus giving rise to health concerns.
EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety. Assessment of Benzophenone-3, an endocrine disruptor used in cosmetic products (2021)
EU workshop on thyroid disruption. Final report (2017). European workshop on the identification of ED affecting the thyroid using experimental and epidemiological data.
Safety of presence of Bisphenol A in clothing articles (Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety, 2021). The Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) of the European commission has assessed the safety of presence of Bisphenol A (BPA) in clothing articles. The available data indicate no risk of adverse effects for adults or children. However, a major source of uncertainty is the migration rate of bisphenol A from clothing articles.
Bisphenol B, an endocrine disruptor for humans and the environment. The French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) has published an updated assessment of Bisphenol B. Some countries outside the European Union use bisphenol B as an alternative to bisphenol A, which is a recognized endocrine disruptor. However, bisphenol B has similar endocrine-disrupting properties to bisphenol A. Therefore, ANSES is proposing to identify bisphenol B as a substance of very high concern under the European REACh Regulation, like bisphenol A.
The European Food Safety assesses the health risks due to the presence of phthalates in food contact materials based on a common endocrine mode of action European Food Safety Authority (2019) Update of the risk assessment of di‐butylphthalate (DBP), butyl‐benzyl‐phthalate (BBP), bis(2‐ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), di‐isononylphthalate (DINP) and di‐isodecylphthalate (DIDP) for use in food contact materials
Bisphenol AF induces adverse effects with a biologhically plausible link to endocrine activity, meeting the EU criteria for identifiction as an endocrine disruptor Karolinska Institutet, Institute of Environmental Medicine, (2019) Assessment of the endocrine disrupting properties of Bisphenol AF according to the EU criteria and ECHA/EFSA guidance
The European Food Safety Authority lowers the tolerable intale for dioxins and related substances using data on endocrine-related reproductive effects, and concludes that the current levels of these chemicals in foods represent a health concern European Food Safety Authority (2018) Risk for animal and human health related to the presence of dioxins and dioxin‐like PCBs in feed and food.
The European criteria for the identification of endocrine disruptors, based on the presence of relevant adverse effects and their plausible link with an endocrine mode of action European Chemical Agency (ECHA) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) with the technical support of the Joint Research Centre (JRC). (2018) Guidance for the identification of endocrine disruptors in the context of Regulations (EU) No 528/2012 and (EC) No 1107/2009.
The European Food Safety Authority assesses the food flavouring benzophenone and its endocrine-active metabolite 4-hydroxybenzophenone European Food Safety Authority (2017) .Safety of benzophenone to be used as flavouring.
The European Food Safety Authority assesses the myctoxin zearalenone and its metabolites, based on their estrogenic potencies European Food Safety Authority (2016) Appropriateness to set a group health-based guidance value for zearalenone and its modified forms.
