Is the baby’s milk bottle safe?

You have prepared milk for your child and you fill his feeding bottle with it. The baby gulps it down with an obvious delight. Then you sterilise the bottle. But, is that enough?

It isn’t, according to a WWF (World Wildlife Fund) report. The report cites evidence found during a study commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Britain, that babies’ bottles that have been sterilised, brushed or washed release a chemical called Bisphenol A (BPA).

According to the study, which is yet to be published, BPA disrupts the hormone system. It can make a baby’s body produce hormones in doses larger than what is required for adults. Hormonal imbalances can have a pronounced effect on the child’s development, a lot of which may not get revealed until much later in life. BPA can lead to a delay in the onset of puberty.

BPA is used extensively in the production of plastics, particularly polycarbonates. It can be found in adhesives, pipes, thermal fax paper, car dashboards and electronic goods, but its presence in the lining of food cans and in baby feeding bottles causes the greatest concern.