News | Study Warns Common BPA-Free Food-Packaging Alternatives May Harm Ovarian Cells
A new McGill University study suggests that common chemicals used to replace bisphenol A (BPA) may be toxic to human ovarian cells. The finding raises concerns about the safety of BPA-free food packaging and whether current regulation is sufficient.
The team focused on chemicals commonly used in price labels on meat, fish, cheese, fruit, and vegetables. These substances may migrate into food through plastic film and cause abnormal function in human ovarian granulosa cells cultured in the laboratory.
Researchers tested four common BPA alternatives: TGSA, D-8, PF-201, and BPS. TGSA and D-8 in particular caused lipid droplets to accumulate inside cells and altered activity in genes involved in cell growth and DNA repair. Study co-leader Bernard Robaire, professor of pharmacology and therapeutics and obstetrics and gynecology at McGill University, said: “These cellular functions are essential. The laboratory results do not yet directly prove harm in humans, but they are a strong signal that these chemicals require further study.”
BPA is a recognized endocrine disruptor linked to infertility, early developmental abnormalities, and metabolic disorders. Canada has banned it in baby bottles and restricted it in some products. However, researchers emphasize that most BPA alternatives are not yet regulated or routinely tested.
“The term ‘BPA-free’ can be very misleading,” Robaire said. “It often means that BPA has simply been replaced with another bisphenol. More than 200 alternatives are known, and some may be just as harmful or worse. We must test these substances before they are widely used, not investigate them afterward.”
Health Canada has placed all four chemicals on a list for further assessment. Researchers advise consumers to remove plastic packaging and labels before storing fresh food and, when shopping, select items from the top of a stack to reduce chemical transfer caused by pressure.
The study was published in Toxicological Sciences under the title “High-Content Imaging and Transcriptomic Analyses of the Effects of Bisphenol S and Alternative Color Developers on KGN Granulosa Cells.” It was funded by the McGill Sustainability Systems Initiative.
News | Study Warns Common BPA-Free Food-Packaging Alternatives May Harm Ovarian Cells
News | Study Warns Common BPA-Free Food-Packaging Alternatives May Harm Ovarian Cells
A new McGill University study suggests that common chemicals used to replace bisphenol A (BPA) may be toxic to human ovarian cells. The finding raises concerns about the safety of BPA-free food packaging and whether current regulation is sufficient.
The team focused on chemicals commonly used in price labels on meat, fish, cheese, fruit, and vegetables. These substances may migrate into food through plastic film and cause abnormal function in human ovarian granulosa cells cultured in the laboratory.
Researchers tested four common BPA alternatives: TGSA, D-8, PF-201, and BPS. TGSA and D-8 in particular caused lipid droplets to accumulate inside cells and altered activity in genes involved in cell growth and DNA repair. Study co-leader Bernard Robaire, professor of pharmacology and therapeutics and obstetrics and gynecology at McGill University, said: “These cellular functions are essential. The laboratory results do not yet directly prove harm in humans, but they are a strong signal that these chemicals require further study.”
BPA is a recognized endocrine disruptor linked to infertility, early developmental abnormalities, and metabolic disorders. Canada has banned it in baby bottles and restricted it in some products. However, researchers emphasize that most BPA alternatives are not yet regulated or routinely tested.
“The term ‘BPA-free’ can be very misleading,” Robaire said. “It often means that BPA has simply been replaced with another bisphenol. More than 200 alternatives are known, and some may be just as harmful or worse. We must test these substances before they are widely used, not investigate them afterward.”
Health Canada has placed all four chemicals on a list for further assessment. Researchers advise consumers to remove plastic packaging and labels before storing fresh food and, when shopping, select items from the top of a stack to reduce chemical transfer caused by pressure.
The study was published in Toxicological Sciences under the title “High-Content Imaging and Transcriptomic Analyses of the Effects of Bisphenol S and Alternative Color Developers on KGN Granulosa Cells.” It was funded by the McGill Sustainability Systems Initiative.
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