Pediatricians warn against heating baby food in plastic

What you need to know:

  • The report notes existing gaps in data on the health effects of the chemicals on infants and children, and emphasizes on tougher food safety requirements to limit exposure to the chemicals used to process, package and preserve everyday foods, but are not adequately proven to be safe.

Warming food in plastic containers in the microwave can cause chemicals that harm children’s health to leak in, according to a new policy statement published in the journal Paediatrics. This is because the first few years in a child’s life are critical for their growth and development and exposure to certain chemicals may harm their health and affect their physical and mental development in future.

According to the report, exposing a child to certain chemicals can interfere with their hormones thereby predisposing them to many health risks including obesity.

The report notes existing gaps in data on the health effects of the chemicals on infants and children, and emphasizes on tougher food safety requirements to limit exposure to the chemicals used to process, package and preserve everyday foods, but are not adequately proven to be safe.

According to the lead author of the report Dr Leonardo Trasande, “there are critical weaknesses in the current food additives regulatory process, which doesn’t do enough to ensure all chemicals added to food are safe enough to be part of a family’s diet.”

The report states that a group of chemical compounds called bisphenol A (BPA) used to harden plastic containers and line metal cans, can disrupt hormones, affecting the timing of puberty, increase body fat and causes problems in the nervous and immune systems. Problems with brain development, obesity, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have also been linked to plastics, dyes and glues used in food packaging.

They recommend avoiding microwaving food or beverages (including infant formula and pumped human milk) in plastic, if possible, avoiding placing plastics in the dishwasher and using alternatives to plastic, such as glass or stainless steel, when possible.