BPA fears and green concerns trigger launch of carton water

By Rory Harrington

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Bisphenol a Bpa

Safety fears over controversial chemical bisphenol A (BPA) and environmental concerns have prompted one US beverage company to start selling water in cartons.

O.N.E World Enterprises has announced the launch of O.N.E Water in a BPA-free Tetra Pak carton as a “sustainable alternative to plastic bottled water​.”

Plastic concerns

“With concern growing about the health risks of bisphenol A (BPA) leaching from plastic as well as the alarming abundance of plastic bottles in landfills, O.N.E Water offers consumers a health, smart and eco-conscious option,”​ a company spokesman told FoodProductionDaily.com.

O.N.E said its 100 per cent spring water was sourced from the Blue Mountain Plateau of Eastern Canada. The Tetra Pal-packaged product will be available nationwide across the US from this summer.

Company founder and CEO Rodrigo Veloso said: “We pride ourselves on being a socially and environmentally responsible company and we are extremely proud to offer consumers an alternative to plastic bottled water.”

BPA bans

The move comes amid growing concern in the US over use of BPA in food and beverage packing. Local bans have already been imposed in Minnesota and Chicago, with state legislatures in California and Wisconsin due to deliberate on outlawing the substance in use in infant drinking bottles.

BPA, used in the manufacture of polycarbonate and other plastics, has been linked to cardiovascular disease and diabetes in humans and disrupted reproductive development in animals. The chemical is commonly found in drinking bottles, baby bottles and sipper cups as well as dentistry composites and sealants and in the lining of aluminum food and beverage cans.

Safety review

Last month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) bowed to public pressure and agreed to review its former opinion that the chemical posed no risk to human health. Doubts had been raised that the agency’s previous opinion relied too heavily on industry-sponsored studies. The outcome of its re-evaluation is expected by the end of the summer.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the UK’s Food Standards Agency recently reaffirmed its opinion to FoodProductionDaily.com that BPA remained safe to use in food packaging at current levels.

Related topics R&D Soft Drinks & Water