JRC scientists finalised study on release of chemical substances from 450 plastic baby bottles
JRC scientists recommends intensifying testing of substitute plastics now in use by official food control laboratories
| Contact Name | JRC-IHCP, Food Contact Materials |
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As polycarbonate baby bottles disappear from the European market due to a ban on the use bisphenol A (BPA) for manufacturing of these articles since June 2011, more and more bottles made of other plastic materials become available to consumers.
The European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) has just finalised a comprehensive monitoring study on the release of chemical substances from 450 plastic bottles (made from polycarbonate, polyethersulphone, polyamide, polypropylene, silicone etc.) purchased at the European market.
The findings led to the conclusion that there is hardly any release of BPA from polycarbonate bottles, whereas BPA could be detected in polyamide bottles in relevant amounts. Bottles made from polypropylene and silicone showed the release of substances that are not on the positive list (including phthalates). These results should be taken into account in future risk assessment of plastic baby bottles.
The JRC scientists strongly recommend intensifying testing of substitute plastics now in use by official food control laboratories in EU Member States, with the aim of informing risk managers on trends of evolution of the market and potential issues based on experimental data.
Full article:
C. Simoneau, L. Van den Eede & S. Valzacchi, "Identification and
quantification of the migration of chemicals from plastic baby bottles
used as substitutes for polycarbonate", Food Additives &
Contaminants: Part A: Chemistry, Analysis, Control, Exposure & Risk
Assessment, 28 Nov 2011.
DOI: 10.1080/19440049.2011.644588
Photo: Baby bottles. Copyright European Union 2010.
