Health: Eating in Our BPA World

 

If you have not been living in a dark cave or tucked away on some grassy Tibetan mountain hillside for the last seven years, you have heard talk of how plastic food storage containers could be harmful to your health, and one chemical compound in particular has been the center of attention: BPA. Despite how far and wide chain e-mails have spread in the “news,” most people are just vaguely aware of BPA and at best are left wondering if it is not just another Internet-fueled urban legend.

As can be expected from any chain letter health hype, there is a bit of truth nestled among a lot of misinformation. With Korea being the land of 빨리빨리 (phonetically pali pali; meaning “rush rush”), residents get a lot of food on the go. Hot or cold, these noodle soups, porridges, honey peanut pancakes, seaweed wrapped rice logs and cuts of fire roasted pork belly are often boxed up and wrapped in plastic. I admit, I cringe at the sight of hot soup being poured into plastic anything, but is it melodrama or is there reason for concern?

Let’s demystify the basics of BPA and how it may affect your health.

What’s the deal with BPA?

BPA – free. Buy BPA – free. We have heard it but what exactly is BPA and what is all the fuss about? BPA stands for bisphenol A, a widely used compound found in a lot of hard plastics and is often used in food and beverage storage containers, canned food and soda can lining, some plastic bags, and plastic and aluminum reusable water bottles. BPA is nothing new; in fact the chemical debuted in 1981 and has been known to mimic estrogen in the body since the 1930’s. Since estrogen is a natural hormone, it’s nothing to fret over, right? Wrong. BPA can promote breast cancer growth, decrease sperm count and damage fetal and infant brain development, as studies have shown harmful effects of the product on the reproductive, neurological and endocrine systems.

However, and here comes the big but… studies are still ongoing and researchers are still arguing not only about the effects of plastic in our diet but also whether results can be applied to human consumption and use.

How do I know if a product contains BPA?

BPA is mostly found in polycarbonate plastics (hard plastics), which are marked with a recycling number 7. The triangles encircling a number on the bottom of bottles indicate what kind of plastic it is. For example, 3 indicates PVC or V used for cling wrap, plastic squeeze bottles and cooking oil and peanut butter containers; 4 indicates LDPE used for grocery store and Ziplock bags; and 5 indicates PP used for Tupperware, straws and yogurt containers. Category 7 is a catch-all for all “other” plastics that do not fit into the other six categories so not all “7” plastics contain BPA. Can we get any more convoluted? It is no wonder why most people resign themselves on the issue!

Am I at risk?

If you think you are not affected by BPA, you are probably wrong. The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) found traces of BPA in almost all urine samples collected (93% of subjects and even more so in children), so to say that the chemical is very prevalent in our diet is an understatement. Children were found to have higher levels of BPA than adolescents and adolescents were found to have higher levels than adults. Baby bottles and infant formula can absorb BPA, making babies very susceptible to chemical ingestion. Also because BPA is linked to increased breast and prostate cancer, altered menstrual cycles and diabetes, unborn babies are also at an increased risk.

However, … and here comes big but #2 … despite our constant exposure to the chemical, levels of BPA in our bodies are what is considered “safe” because our bodies metabolize BPA rather quickly, breaking it down and excreting it within a few days. Counter-arguing the point, the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences states the chemical does not have to remain in the body to have adverse effects. Therefore as it stands, health experts are still split on the potential health hazard, throwing the public into utter confusion.

What do we know then?

We know that more worrisome than using plastic to serve or contain food is when BPA-containing plastics are exposed to harsh use or high temperatures, such as being placed in the microwave or dishwasher, they leach chemicals into your food. This is where the real concern comes in. When food is microwaved while wrapped in plastic, covered in plastic or sitting in a plastic container, substances (plasticizers) can leak into the food, especially fatty foods such as meats and cheeses. One study found when plastic resin is exposed to hot liquids, they leach BPA 55 times faster than the normal rate. Therefore food or drinks should not be heated in plastic containers that are not labeled as safe to do so (i.e. “microwave safe”).

The key is checking the label. Not all plastics are unsafe to use in general or at high temperatures. What the scare-mails do not mention is that the FDA recognizes the potential harm of plastics and therefore requires that standards are met during manufacturing. If a product is safe to microwave, it will say so. If a product is unsafe to contain hot products, it will say “do not microwave,” “do not dish wash,” “do not use with hot liquids,” etc.

Fast Rules about plastic safety, as outlined by Harvard Medical School:

• Most takeout containers, water bottles and plastic tubs or jars made to hold margarine, yogurt, whipped topping and foods such as cream cheese, mayonnaise and mustard are not microwave-safe.
• Microwavable takeout dinner trays are formulated for one-time use only and will say so on the package.
• Do not microwave plastic storage bags or plastic bags from the grocery store.
• Before microwaving food, be sure to vent the container: leave the lid ajar or lift the edge of the cover.
• Do not allow plastic wrap to touch food during microwaving because it may melt. Wax paper, kitchen parchment paper or white paper towels are alternatives.
• If you are concerned about plastic wraps or containers in the microwave, transfer food to glass or ceramic containers labeled for microwave oven use.