US FDA expresses concerns over possible BPA health risks

In a shift of position, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expressed concerns about possible health risks from bisphenol-A, or BPA, a widely used component of plastic bottles and food packaging that it declared safe in 2008.

Bisphenol-a (BPA) is one of the most widely used synthetic chemicals in industry.

On Friday, the agency said it had: ''some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children.'' It said it would join other federal health agencies in studying the chemical in both animals and humans.

Analysts say the move comes with FDA adopting a new aggressive stance under the Obama administration as it casts a more stringent eye on perceived threats to public health. It has already stepped up its oversight of food safety and has also promised to tighten approval standards for medical devices.

BPA has been found to have harmful effects in animals. It is also known to seep into food and baby formula and thus exposes nearly everyone to its harmful effects, starting right from the womb.

However, health officials maintain that there is no conclusive proof that the substance is dangerous to humans.