Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/708909
August 2016 WINES&VINES 19 WINE INDUSTRY NEWS S acramento, Calif.— Cali- fornia is now requiring warning labels about Bi- sphenol A (BPA), a chemical sus- pected to cause reproductive toxicity. BPA may be present in liners of screwcaps, as well as in increasingly popular wine cans. Steve Gross, vice president of state relations with the Wine In- stitute, advised that new regula- tions from the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard As- sessment state that the Prop. 65 warning extends to online sales, meaning wineries shipping to California residents should post a BPA warning during online check- out or face penalties of up to $2,500 per day. Wine Institute legal counsel Tracy Genesen told Wines & Vines that, at the moment, BPA warn- ings are not required on labels or packaging, only at the point of sale. That includes retail outlets, on-premise venues, tasting rooms and before checkout at websites that provide DtC wine sales to or within California. Because there is no agreed- upon/established measurement of how much BPA is hazardous, she said, "Right now people are erring on the side of warnings," to avoid fines or other consequences. At least one online wine re- tailer, Los Angeles, Calif.-based Barclay's, now includes a warn- ing on its website for readers who scroll to the bottom of the order page. Yet BPA's toxicity is still a mat- ter of debate. The FDA currently does not view the substance as a threat but is continuing to support ongoing research. Wines & Vines contacted sev- eral wine industry suppliers about the chemical, and several said they did not use products contain- ing BPA. A detailed analysis from Dr. Brent A. Bauer, M.D., on the Mayo Clinic website states: "The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has said that BPA is safe at the very low levels that occur in some foods. This assessment is based on review of hundreds of studies. "The FDA is continuing its review of BPA, including supporting on- going research." Formerly manufactured in Eu- rope, but now with a plant in Peta- luma, Calif., Mala Closures are free of BPA, according to chief operating officer Gisela Cart- wright. "European laws are way more strict than ours, so our pack- aging is free of BPA. They have been produced in Petaluma since 2014; the raw materials come from Germany," she said. G3 Enterprises of Modesto, Calif., also eschews BPA in its products and manufacturing, ac- cording to marketing coordinator Ashley McKinney. "G3 Enterprises' corks, polyethylene closures and liners are free of Bisphenol A. G3 does not use BPA in our manufac- turing processes," she stated. —Jane Firstenfeld Does BPA Endanger Wine Drinkers? "Right now people are erring on the side of warnings." —Tracy Genesen, Wine Institute