FDA to study potential BPA risks

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- U.S. regulators say they "have some concern" about the safety of Bisphenol A, a chemical widely used in food and beverage containers.

The Food and Drug Administration Deputy Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein said the agency will carry out a study of possible health risks of BPA, The Washington Post reported.

"We have some concern, which leads us to recommend reasonable steps the public can take to reduce exposure to BPA," Sharfstein told reporters in a conference call Friday.

Research has suggested a link between BPA to cancer, sexual dysfunction, heart disease and other health problems. U.S. health officials have expressed concern about the chemical's possible impact on fetal development as well as on infants and children, the Post said.

Regulators have said data currently do not indicate the need to ban the chemical. Sharfstein said the FDA studies will be part of a two-year, $30 million project intended to determine whether government action is required to address possible health concerns related to BPA.

The chemical is used to harden plastics but researchers have concluded it leaches from food and beverage containers into their contents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has concluded traces of BPA are present in the urine of 90 percent of the U.S. population.