September 18, 2012 Since the 1960s, manufacturers have widely
used the chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) in plastics and food
packaging. Only recently, though, have scientists begun
thoroughly looking into how the compound might affect human
health—and what they’ve found has been a cause for concern.
Starting in 2006, a series of studies, mostly in mice, indicated
that the chemical might act as an endocrine disruptor (by
mimicking the hormone estrogen), cause problems during
development and potentially affect the reproductive system,
reducing fertility. After a 2010 Food and Drug Administration
report warned that the compound could pose an especially
hazardous risk for fetuses, infants and young children, BPA-free
water bottles and food containers started flying off the
shelves. In July, the FDA banned the use of BPA in baby bottles
and sippy cups, but the chemical is still present in aluminum
cans, containers of baby formula and other packaging materials.
Now comes another piece of data on a potential risk from BPA