Babies, Parenting, Child Health, Infant Nutrition

Baby Development – U.S. Questions Baby Bottle Safety

04.16.2008 | 12:04:39 am | Posted by mummums

By Colleen Hurley, RD, Certified Kid’s Nutrition Specialist

baby development, organic baby food The plastic bottle safety debate rages on. A recent episode of the Today Show highlighting potential dangers of plastic bottles has caused a great deal of confusion for consumers. The safety of plastic bottles, including baby bottles, is once again in the spotlight; however, according to the media, no real answers can be found. MSNBC reports today that the federal National Toxicology Program discovered plastic bottles do in fact present a health risk.

As Mum Mum’s reported just a few months ago, a University of Missouri study found that heating plastic baby bottles posed serious health risks to infants particularly from the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) found in plastic bottles. Further validation of this study is provided today by a new study from the National Toxicology Program. The study found, through experiments on rats, that BPA lead to precancerous tumors, early puberty, and urinary tract disorders.

The National Toxicology Program is comprised of scientists from the Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The coalition’s draft report urges that the results “cannot be dismissed” despite the fact the results are based on animal study. Public comments on the initial report will be made in May and a final version of the study will be issued in June.

Just this month New Jersey Lawmakers passed a bill banning the sale of all products containing BPA. Canada is also taking note; health agencies are examining the risks of BPA and will issue findings in the next several days. Environmental groups view the new report as validation for longstanding concerns of the safety of plastics in the food supply. Not to be outdone, chemical manufacturers claim consumers should not jump to conclusions over preliminary results touting additional research is needed to prove that the adverse affects seen in animals can also be seen in humans.

The Environmental Working Group hopes the findings will urge the FDA to re-evaluate bisphenol safety, yet the FDA maintains its November statement claiming there is no reason to restrict its usage. Rep. John Dingell of Michigan has called out the FDA urging further research in addition to penning letters to makers of baby formulas questioning their use of BPA in cans and bottles of infant formula. Representing baby food makers, the International Formula Council states: “the overwhelming scientific evidence supports the safety” of bisphenol, adding that no foreign governments have restricted or its use.

While this may not answer any burning questions, there are a few key points to bear in mind when making your own decision. First, as Mum Mum’s has pointed out, infants and expecting mothers are exceptionally vulnerable populations to toxins and pollutants. In addition, it may be quite some time before human studies are conducted because of the ethical implications of exposing humans, particularly babies, to dangerous toxins for experimental purposes. Therefore in short, the use of plastic bottles for infants as well as during pregnancy is probably a risk not worth taking until we learn more about BPA and its potential health risks. Stay posted to the Mum Mum's blog for further updates on this matter.

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