California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein is pushing to include a ban on the compound bisphenol-A, or BPA, in a federal food safety bill (S 510) aimed at expanding FDA's authority over food processing and production, the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Lochhead, San Francisco Chronicle, 7/12).
Details of Federal Food Safety Bill
The federal food safety bill would place more responsibility on food manufacturers and farmers to create food that is free from contamination. Current practice relies on government inspectors to identify questionable food after production.
The legislation also would give FDA authority to recall certain foods if the agency suspects contamination (Layton, Washington Post, 7/11).
Proposed Ban on BPA
Food and chemical industries have vowed to defeat the bill if it includes the ban on BPA, which commonly is used in food containers.
Feinstein and other advocates of the ban say the chemical has been linked to diabetes, heart disease, neurological problems and other health conditions (San Francisco Chronicle, 7/12).
A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said the bill is a priority but cannot move forward until Feinstein and other lawmakers reach a compromise on the BPA provision.
Related State Legislation
The California Assembly recently passed a bill (SB 797) that would ban BPA from food and drink containers for children ages three and younger (Washington Post, 7/11).