A chemical used in baby bottles, plastic containers and food and beverage cans affects the functioning of the intestines, say French researchers.
In tests on rats and human intestine cells, the scientists found that bisphenol A (BPA) lowered the permeability of the intestines and the immune system's response to digestive inflammation, Agence France Presse reported.
The study appears in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The findings show "the very high sensitivity on the intestine of Bisphenol A and opens new avenues for research," including reassessing acceptable levels of the chemical for humans, said the researchers at the National Institute of Agronomic Research in Toulouse, AFP reported.
Earlier this year, six major U.S. baby bottle makers said they would stop using BPA.