BPA IS SAFE-SO SAYS EU SAFETY AUTHORITIES!

Bis-phenol A ( BPA) which is present as a component in poly carbonate feeding bottles and resin coatings in sanitary cans was a focus of intense scrutiny after it was implicated in health risks, especially to infants. Though the scare about its safety among consumers made many industry players to shun use of poly carbonate in feeding bottles and can resins, there has never been any formal banning of this chemical by any safety authorities in the world. Still BPA was subject matter of intense safety studies during the last two years with no adverse findings emerging so far and it is not surprising that the EU Safety Authorities have given it unqualified approval for use as long as the level does not exceed the prescribed limit. Here is a report from the EU.regarding the present status of BPA vis-a-vis processed foods. 

"Time after time when the comprehensive body of research on BPA is evaluated by unbiased scientific experts, the conclusion is the same -- that BPA does not pose any risk to infants, children, or adults from exposure through food contact applications," said Dr. John M. Rost, NAMPA Chairman. "This latest affirmation of BPA's safety in food packaging should prompt consumers to question the motivation behind the negative publicity on BPA, a material that not only protects food, but that repeatedly has been found safe by expert regulatory bodies worldwide." Over the past several weeks, EFSA conducted a thorough review of new scientific studies. This review was conducted at the request of the European Commission, following recent concerns raised by a report from the French food agency (ANSES). Responding to those concerns, EFSA noted that ANSES had conducted a limited hazard identification process, while EFSA had conducted a full risk assessment on BPA. Based on this latest assessment, EFSA upheld the finding of its 2010 review that the existing tolerable daily intake (TDI) for BPA would "protect all human populations for lifetime exposure to this substance through diet." EFSA also indicated plans to establish a multidisciplinary working group to monitor and review new scientific studies on BPA. "BPA-based epoxy coatings used in metal packaging enable high temperature sterilization that eliminates the danger of food poisoning or contamination," continued Dr. Rost. "These coatings are extremely effective, thoroughly tested, and safe, as reiterated by this recent EFSA evaluation. Expert risk assessments such as this latest work by EFSA should be what guides policy actions on BPA, not political agendas." A full report is available at http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/111201.htm ."

It is a tribute to the functioning of the safety assessment mechanism in the EU that suspect contaminants are continuously being subjected to evaluation and based on new data generated quick action is taken to remove or retain the already approved standards. One has to place faith on the safety agencies and be guided by their 'wisdom' derived from many tit bits of information at their disposal. On the other hand government agencies bestowed with the responsibility of looking after the welfare of the citizens should not be swayed by the clout or muscle of the industry or the lobbyists and must be true to the scientific truth. Between FDA of the US and EFSA of the EU, latter seems to have acquitted themselves better if one goes by the past track record of these two agencies during the last few years in safeguarding the consumer interest.  

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

THE "BIG" CHILDREN-CURSE OF MODERN LIVING!

There was a time in the History when huge families with many members used to live together, helping each other and sharing the difficulties when population was not growing at it is now. Due to comparatively cleaner environment and safer foods nutritionally balanced, the health problems as being seen to day were far and few. The element of kinship was much stronger with younger generation respecting the seniors for their wisdom and elders showering affection on the former. Situation has changed dramatically during the last 5-6 decades with small and compact nuclear families branching of from larger joint family set ups, living in smaller dwelling houses with minimum interaction with fellow relatives. Children are left to fend for themselves more often with parents having very little time to devote to them because of their economic pursuits. The net result is that the children of to day are denied many of the basic emotional feelings, arising out of closer interactions and symbolic emotive signals from their parents or grand parents, resulting in their growth and development with minimum human qualities. What effect such a transformation has on the society can be easily imagined. Here is a "loud thinking" by some one watching this trend from close quarters which must trouble the conscience of the nation.    

"Indian parents often goad their babies to not grow up fast. If childhood is about magic, it is vanishing even before it is lived. In fact children are indeed growing up fast, speeding past the springtime of their lives, say psychiatrists who connect that to the falling levels of emotional quotient. The warm hugs, the tiny kisses, a ride on the Ferris wheel, a family camping trip, vanishing into a book with mum, playing chess against dad, are all now just cloying instances tucked away in fables. "The EQ among our children is on the decline. They have a lower threshold for tolerance, they are easily depressed, their coping ability has reduced and complexity has gone up. Seven- and eight-year-olds talk of violent acts and of dying these days," says psychiatrist Dr Nirmala Rao. The new toys like Angry Birds, Crime Life: Gang Wars and other ultraviolent games don't score too well in enriching EQ. Our cities' kids-unfriendly design doesn't help either: you need to go to a hill station even for a horse ride or to spend time under a waterfall. Peggy Mohan, an English teacher with a Delhi school, says, "We are living in tiny cocoons. Our children are like aliens who've ventured into the adult space. They are as nice as ever, but they do not have the sense of the landscape they live in." 

The rate at which urbanization is taking place is alarming enough to call for arresting this trend by many sociologists lest there could be gross distortions in the human values cherished by many and as earning opportunities are increasingly being concentrated in urban areas, there is mindless devastation of rural entities as agriculture is no more a sustaining avocation for millions of farmers in a country like India. If future citizens are going to be from the urban areas evolving from an environment similar to a "pressure cooker", with very little time to think about fellow citizens, what type of country will emerge eventually? It is in this context many sociologists plead for better environment within four walls of the urban families where children are exposed to the nuances of emotional feelings from the parents which eventually will also manifest in public places for fellow citizens. Probably mindless industrialization will destroy the fabric of the society and it is time the employment providers include more and more family welfare measures for their employees to restore the traditional values as they were during olden days!

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com