During their routine product testing, the CFIA tested 234 samples of domestic and imported infant formula and foods for BPA. This included a total of 137 dairy and soy infant formula samples (powdered, ready-to-serve and concentrate), 92 processed, pre-packaged fruit product samples, and 15 fruit juice samples. According to the CFIA, none of the baby food products tested positive for BPA.
The modified nanogold process used in this study involves tweaking the nanogold to obtain an aptamer-NG resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) probe (Apt-GN) for BPA, and it is considered ‘highly sensitive and selective’ in detecting the chemical.
BPA can be found in everything from food packaging to water bottles. It is used in the production of polycarbonate and epoxy resins. Metal cans are often coated with the chemical to keep food from coming into direct contact with the metal. But sometimes, that chemical can leech from the epoxy coatings into the food; this is especially true when the packaging reaches elevated temperatures, as in heat-processed canned foods.
Though there is no established limit or maximum level of tolerance set by Canada, Health Canada has set a provisional tolerance daily intake (pTDI) for BPA at 0.025mg/kg body weight/day. When levels above this are found in foods, Health Canada may opt to conduct an assessment to determine if the food poses a health risk.
If, through the assessment, the CFIA does determine that the product poses a health risk (determined by contaminant level, expected frequency of exposure and contribution to overall diet), it is decided at that time if any further action is needed. This action may include product seizure and/or recall. If serious risk is found, a public recall notice is issued immediately.
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