The American Academy of Pediatrics is asking U.S. regulators to limit children's exposure to chemicals found in food additives and packaging, but a trade group representing the plastics industry said such concerns are not based on science.

AAP recently adopted a policy calling for "urgent reforms" to U.S. food additive regulations. The group noted that more than 10,000 additives are used to preserve, package and modify foods. It also pointed to an increasing number of studies indicate some additives can interfere with a child's hormones and development.

The group also raised concerns about "indirect" additives coming from plastic, glue, paper and other materials used in food processing and packaging. Among the chemicals cited were bisphenols, or BPA, which has been linked to changing the timing of puberty, decreased fertility, increased body fat, and effects on the nervous and immune systems. BPA is now banned in baby bottles and sippy cups.

"Chemicals that affect the endocrine system, for example, can have lasting effects on a child since hormones coordinate complex functions throughout the body," said Leonardo Trasande, an AAP Council on Environmental Health member and lead author of the policy statement. "Even small disruptions at key moments during development can have lifelong consequences." http://bit.ly/2JW2gTR

The Plastics Industry Association shot back with a statement Tuesday alleging AAP's policy "isn't based on any newly-released studies or data." The studies cited fail to establish causation between toxicity and exposure to food packaging, the group said.

"There's no silver bullet to solving some of the world's most challenging public health issues," the association said. Plastics play a role in increasing access to some of the whole fruits and vegetables that the AAP suggests we should all be eating more of, and they do so safely, helping to prevent foodborne illness and food waste.

"We hope we can work together to promote public health, while educating people about how our products are made and how they're tested to ensure that every plastic product is safe for its intended use," the group added. http://bit.ly/2LOut0N

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