Food wrapping paper is dangerous, right?

Most of the food sold on the side of the road is often packaged in brown wrapping paper. Fried even packaged in used paper or newsprint. So, at lunch time, you should not forget to move the food to a regular plate. The reason is, a number of studies have found that the food wrapping paper contains BPA which is believed to be harmful to the body. Want to know more? Check out the following reviews.

BPA is not only in plastics, it is also in food wrapping paper

BPA or bisphenol A is a chemical that is often used as a material for making food containers, not only plastic, but also paper. Initially BPA was used in canned food containers so that the cans would not rust easily.

However, reported by WebMD, Kurunthachalam Kannan, Ph.D., a research scientist at the New York State Department of Health, stated that BPA is also contained in food wrapping paper with a very high concentration level.

High levels of BPA are generally found in recycled food wrapping paper. BPA powder is used to coat paper to make it more resistant to heat. Apart from food wrapping paper, BPA is also often found on toilet paper, newspaper, shopping receipt paper, and tickets.

Health risks of BPA

When BPA enters the body, it can mimic the function and structure of the hormone estrogen. Because of this ability, BPA can affect bodily processes, such as growth, cell repair, fetal development, energy levels and reproduction. In addition, BPA may also have the ability to interact with other hormone receptors, such as the thyroid hormone receptor.

So, is the use of BPA prohibited?

Until now, many health experts still question the safety of the BOA. Several countries such as the United States, Japan, China, South Korea, and other countries have restricted the use of BPA. Reported by Healthline that 92% of independent studies find a negative impact on BPA use on health.

So far, health experts suspect that BPA can have the following negative effects:

The risk of miscarriage increases threefold in pregnant women who are exposed to BPA. In addition, women of childbearing age who were exposed to BPA reported decreased production of healthy eggs and had a 2 times higher risk of having difficulty conceiving.
In couples undergoing IVF, men who are exposed to BPA have a 30-46 percent risk of producing low-quality embryos because of their low sperm count.
Men who work at a BPA manufacturing plant in China have difficulty having erections and have difficulty orgasming up to 4.5 times than men who do not work in BPA factories.
Children born to mothers with high BPA exposure were found to be more hyperactive, aggressive, and prone to anxiety and depression.
Men's exposure to BPA increases the risk of prostate cancer and breast cancer in women, because BPA affects the development of the prostate and breast tissue.

Even so, most studies on the safety of BPA and its effects on the body, but not really conclusive. More research on humans is still needed to be sure of this.

Still, it's better to prevent than to cure. Reducing the use of containers that contain BPA, especially food wrapping paper, is the best step you can take. If you are already using food wrapping paper, then don't let your food be wrapped in it for too long. Immediately transfer to a dinner plate or other container.