BPA alternatives harm ovarian cells by changing genetic activity, McGill study flags

Chemical alternatives for bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic food packaging can trigger harmful effects in human ovarian cells, according to McGill University, Canada, researchers.

Their new study examined several chemicals commonly used in price stickers on packaged meat, fish, cheese, and produce, flagging early signs of potential toxicity. It calls into question the safety of packaging marketed as “BPA-free” and asks if current regulations are enough to protect consumers.

“‘BPA-free’ is an incredibly misleading label,” say Bernard Robaire, co-senior author of the study and James McGill, professor in McGill’s Departments of Pharmacology & Therapeutics and Obstetrics & Gynecology.

“It usually means one bisphenol has been swapped for another, and there are more than 200 of them. Some may be just as harmful, or even worse. We need to test these compounds before they’re widely adopted, not after.”

BPA alternatives disrupt DNA repair

In 2023, Stéphane Bayen, associate professor in McGill’s Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, made the discovery that label-printing chemicals like bisphenol S (BPS), a BPA replacement, were leaching through plastic wrap into food.

Bayen teamed up with colleagues in reproductive toxicology to investigate the bodily harm these substances could be causing, which spearheaded the investigation.

The new paper describes how lab-grown human ovarian cells were exposed to four commonly used BPA substitutes: TGSA, D-8, PF-201, and BPS.

Several of the chemicals, particularly TGSA and D-8, triggered a buildup of fat droplets in the cells and changed the activity of genes that help cells grow and repair their DNA.

“These are major cellular functions,” stresses Robaire. “Disrupting them doesn’t prove harm in humans, but it gives us a strong signal that these chemicals should be further investigated.”

Underregulated replacements

BPA can interfere with the body’s hormones and has been associated with fertility problems, early development, and metabolism. It has been banned in baby bottles and restricted in some products in Canada in light of these health risks.

In January, the European Commission similarly banned the use of BPA in food-contact materials.

But many of the chemicals used to replace BPA are not regulated or routinely tested, the researchers stress.

Health Canada has added all four substances in the paper to a list of chemicals requiring further investigation.

Robaire cautions that consumers remove labels and plastic wrap from fresh foods before storing.

He also advises selecting items from the top of store display piles rather than the bottom, where pressure from stacking may push chemicals more deeply into the packaging and food.

The findings are published in the journal Toxicological Sciences.