The situation over additives in our food does not only apply to the additives that are physically put into our food, but also the materials used to package and contain our food.

The advent of plastic has seen our world change dramatically, but at what overall cost.
Is plastic inherently safe when it comes to our food?

This article looks at the fears being raised with plastic polycarbonate products and in particular their use with baby bottles.

Parents are being warned about the use of hard plastic baby bottles amid fears the bottles contain a potentially harmful chemical linked to premature puberty and breast cancer. Canterbury toxicologist Professor Ian Shaw said a range of chemicals said a range of estrogenic compounds, including bisphenol A, mimicked estrogen in the body and impacted on cellular activity.
Polycarbonate is a plastic that contains the chemical bisphenol A, used in many food and liquid  containers such as baby bottles. In New Zealand, plastic products containing bisphenol A are marked with a 7 and the letters PC.

Canada has announced that it will ban the importation and sale of plastic polycarbonate products, the first country to do so. New Zealand's Food Safety Authority is monitoring a review of research by Europe's combined food agency into the dangers of bisphenol A but has not introduced any bans.
Professor Shaw, who is also a consultant to the NZFSA, said it was unclear how exposure to bisphenol A in baby's bottles affected infants but because of their smaller size they were affected by it in far greater doses than adults. "There is an extra risk for babies being exposed to the estrogenic compounds because of their size which does mean they get a higher dose," he said.

"If it's a bottle, they are also sucking on it everyday for six months or so. If you are erring on the side of caution, you shouldn't be exposing children to them." Professor Shaw siad of particular concern were products containing the estrogenic compounds made in countries with low manufacturing standards, he said.

Sourced from Fairfax May 13, 2008