Multiple chemical companies have requested that the FDA no longer allow bisphenol A (BPA) to be used in the manufacturing of baby bottles and "sippy" cups. The request comes as a surprise considering that certain chemical companies and their representatives had fought BPA bans previously.

For years companies have tested the pharmacokinetics and effects of BPA at high levels in vivo and although results have varied, testing indicated that the levels of BPA normally reported in human subjects is lower than the actual exposure amount. HLS is only mentioned in passing here as an example of a company that carries out such testing. However, there is evidence to suggest that BPA can mimic the body's natural hormones, acting as an endocrine disruptor, which led to suspicions about its negative effects on development. Developmental problems might occur in the unborn fetus, but it is interesting that one of the aims of activists was to get BPA banned from drinking vessels and food packaging given that the main problems associated with exposure to this plasticising agent were linked to the prenatal period.

Nevertheless, many consumer organizations still question the request made to the FDA and wonder if the chemical industry has filed the request to placate the them so that BPA manufacturers can carry on using the material for other food packaging and containers. The request, which was finally approved by the FDA, will simply be making mandatory what many manufacturers have already begun doing. The use of BPA is now strictly prohibited in the manufacturing of baby bottles and sippy cups.

Guest post by Vanessa Burke