Baby Bottles Testing

da Silva Oliveira, Wellington, et al. Food research international 123 (2019): 529-537.

The migration of non-volatile compounds from baby bottles made of polypropylene, Tritan®, and silicone was evaluated using UPLC-QTOF-MS.

A total of twenty-seven compounds were identified. In all polypropylene samples, the migration of 2.2′-(tridecylimino)bis-ethanol and its derivatives was detected at concentrations below the specific migration limit of 1.2 mg/kg. Additionally, clarifying agents and glycerol derivatives were observed. In the case of Tritan baby bottles, migration of a slip additive was detected. Silicone baby bottles, on the other hand, showed the presence of twenty compounds, most of which were unknown derivatives of acrylates.

Once the migrants were identified, a risk assessment was performed using the Threshold of Toxicological Concern (TTC) approach. The risk assessment revealed that the migrant levels in silicone bottles exceeded the threshold considered safe for babies.

da Silva Oliveira, Wellington, et al. Talanta 207 (2020): 120301.

Data on the sensory impact of volatile organic compound (VOC) migration from baby bottles are limited. To address this, an analytical protocol was developed to determine VOCs from baby bottles using SPME, followed by GC-MS and GC-O-MS analysis. The method was optimized and then applied to analyze 36 baby bottles made from polypropylene, Tritan, and silicone.

After validation, the method was used to characterize the volatile migrants from baby bottles made of polypropylene, Tritan, and silicone using 50% ethanol as a simulant. 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol was found in all samples. A total of forty-five compounds were identified, with thirty-eight being odorants in silicone baby bottles. Aldehydes were primarily responsible for the unpleasant odor in silicone. Additionally, silicone showed slightly higher levels of volatile organic compounds than recommended. Odors from ketones, benzophenone derivatives, and alcohols were also detected using GC-O-MS, but these were below the limit of quantification of the MS detector. All migration levels were found to be below the specific migration limits.

Siddique, Shabana, et al. Current research in food science 4 (2021): 619-626.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a monomer used in various consumer products, including baby bottles and sippy cups. In response to regulatory actions, such as those in Canada, polycarbonate baby bottles containing BPA have been banned. In its place, alternative materials have been used, though their safety remains uncertain.

This study aimed to assess the migration of 16 bisphenol analogues (BPAAs) in baby bottles and sippy cups, following up on a previous BPA migration study by Health Canada in 2009. A total of 20 brands of baby bottles and 13 brands of sippy cups were tested for BPAAs migration. The most frequently detected analytes in baby bottles were BPS, BPA, BPF, BPAF, BPM, and BPTMC, with detection frequencies exceeding 50%. In sippy cups, BPA, BPS, and BPF were the most commonly detected.

The average concentration of BPA in baby bottle leachate was 31.5 ng/L in water simulant, with a 1.4-fold increase observed when using 50% ethanol (EtOH) simulant. Similarly, BPS concentrations were 1.4 times higher in the 50% EtOH simulant compared to the water simulant (mean concentration of 2.33 ng/L). Increasing concentrations of BPA were observed with higher ethanol content in the simulants (water < 10% EtOH < 50% EtOH). The concentrations of BPA and BPS were higher in sippy cups compared to the corresponding baby bottle brands when using the 50% EtOH simulant.

Although most of the bisphenol analogues were detected in baby bottles, their concentrations were low, and no migration was observed with increasing incubation time. Therefore, it is likely that known BPA analogues are not present in the polymers used to manufacture most baby bottle brands sold in Canada.