Mindful Mum » Baby EAT

Steps towards banning BPA from baby bottles

Mindful Mum — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 21:58:10 +0000

Many countries are banning the use of the chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA) in the production of baby bottles due to health concerns. Canada banned BPA in 2009. Whilst this month:

Denmark has temporarily banned BPA in materials that come into contact with food for children aged 0–3 years,
The French Senate backed proposals to ban BPA in baby bottles,
The US Environmental Protection Agency announced they are to further examine the effects of BPA.

So far, UK movement to ban BPA in baby bottles and materials that come into contact with toddlers food is slow. Any change in policy towards BPA awaits the opinion of the EFSA (European Food Standards Authority) who are currently assessing the relevance of a further study commissioned by the American Chemistry Council. The EFSA opinion is expected in May 2010

Whilst we await the opinion of the EFSA, Mindful Mum provides a comparison of BPA free baby bottles and a guide to BPA free weaning for UK parents wishing to err on the side of caution regarding their children’s health. If you are concerned your child has already been exposed to BPA, see our article on blocking the effects of BPA.

For more information on the ban to remove BPA from UK baby bottles see the No More BPA Campaign.

What is the UK view of BPA?

In the UK, the early day motion, Bisphenol A and Baby Bottles, was submitted in 2009 for debate in the House of Commons as part of the campaign to remove BPA from Baby Bottles in the UK.

The response from the Department of Health, via my Member of Parliament, is as follows:

“The FSA, working closely with the EFSA and the European Commission, has looked into the potential risks from BPA and found that exposure of UK consumers to BPA from all sources, including food contact materials, was well below levels considered harmful.

The FSA has also estimated that a three-month old bottle-fed baby that weighs around six kilograms would need to consume more than four times the usual number of bottles of baby formula a day before he/she would reach the TDI (tolerable daily intake.)

The EFSA is currently assessing the relevance of a further study commissioned by the American Chemistry Council to address concerns raised by the Canadian Government. An opinion is expected from EFSA in May 2010.

The FSA continues to keep the published evidence on BPA under review and will act to protect consumers if the evidence shows that it is necessary to do so.”

What is BPA?

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a chemical component in polycarbonate (PC) bottles and is known to leach from bottles during sterilisation and heating, especially if the bottles are scratched or cracked. It is suspected that it disturbs the hormonal balance of babies/infants. Laboratory evidence suggests that exposure to BPA could be linked to breast and prostate cancer, diabetes, obesity, ADHD, and autism.

References:

vom Saal F, Hughes C. 2005. “An extensive new literature concerning low-dose effects of bisphenol A shows the need for a new risk assessment.” Environmental Health Perspectives. 113(8): 926– 933

Is it safe to cook baby food in the microwave?

Mindful Mum — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:48:50 +0000

Question: I’m weaning my baby onto solids. Is it safe to defrost, heat and cook foods for baby in the microwave?

Answer: If you cook and freeze large batches of food, the microwave is a convenient tool for de-frosting and heating food quickly during weaning. It is also useful for cooking food such as fish, as it only takes a couple of minutes. However, many parents are wary of using a microwave because of perceived health risks.

Although health risks are mitigated by using a microwave oven correctly, e.g. following guidelines and using microwave-safe containers, its probably best to use a microwave in moderation — for occasional cooking, defrosting or fast re-heat.

To safely cook, defrost and reheat baby food read the following tips on baby weaning and using a microwave.

Microwave Safe Food Containers for Weaning

Use containers safe to use in the microwave. Safe containers are made from the following materials; heat-resistant glass, ceramic glass, unglazed dinnerware and some plastics. Plastic microwave-safe containers should be marked as such.
Cover the baby food with microwave-safe cling-film or a lid. Covering the food holds in the moisture produced and helps the food to heat evenly and safely.
Lift the lid on one of the edges or prick holes in the cling-film so steam can escape.
Do not use take-out containers, margarine tubs as they can cause potentially harmful chemicals to leach into the food.
Do not let the microwave-safe cling film come into contact with your baby’s food.
Remove aluminum foil and never use metal containers in the microwave.

For more information on safe plastic containers, see BPA Free Containers for Weaning.

Cooking With a Microwave

Cook food thoroughly, to destroy any food poisoning bacteria that may be present.
Follow the instructions for microwave cooking in the recipe book.
Consult the microwave manufacturer’s instructions, if instructions are not given in the recipe book or on the packaging. Manufacturers instructions will give you timings for cooking different foods such as fish, meat and vegetables. Remember you can’t cook a boiled egg in the microwave.
Make sure your microwave has a turntable to rotate the food. If not, stop the microwave and rotate the food manually.

Defrosting With a Microwave

Familiarise yourself with the defrost function on your microwave by reading the manufacturer’s instructions.
Remove food from its packaging before you defrost it in the microwave and place in a microwave-safe container.
Stir thoroughly to remove hotspots.
Once defrosted heat baby food immediately (do not set aside to fully cook later on.)
Heat the defrosted food as follows.

NB: An alternative to defrosting in the microwave, is to take the frozen food out the night before and leave in the fridge overnight.

Defrosting Small Pots of Weaning Purées

It’s best to check your microwave manufacturers guidelines for defrosting food by weight. A rough rule of thumb for ice-cube or small pots of baby purées are:

Frozen food cubes take three to four hours to thaw in the refrigerator and one to two hours to thaw at room temperature.
Thaw frozen food cubes, microwave for 30 to 40 seconds on de-frost.
Heat thawed food cubes, microwave for five to15 seconds. Check it is piping hot, then leave to cool down.

Reheating Food in a Microwave

Make sure reheated food is piping hot all the way through.
Don’t be tempted to partially warm the food, so that your baby will be able to eat it immediately — it needs to be thoroughly heated in order to destroy any bacteria that may be present.
Stir the food a few times during the heating process to reduce hot and warm spots occurring.
Set piping hot food aside and allow it to cool to a comfortable serving temperature.
Check the temperature of the food by tasting it before you give it to your baby.
Don’t reheat it more than once, throw out any uneaten food that has already been reheated.

Jars of Baby Food

If heating a jar, place it in a bowl of hot water for a minute. Do not put it in the microwave.
Use a clean plastic spoon (not metal), stir well and serve your baby’s portion into a clean bowl.
Food left over in the jar can be stored in the fridge for up to 48 hours (do not freeze).
If feeding direct from the jar however, the unused portion must be discarded.
Always use the contents before the best before date which appears on the jar.

NB: Never heat your baby’s bottle in the microwave. Do not heat breast milk in the microwave.

References

USDA, Cooking Safely in the Microwave Oven, 2006
Microwave Association UK Website (Accessed 2010)
Food Standards Association, Guidelines for Cooking With Microwave (Accessed 2010)
Food Standards Association, Baby Powder Tool Kit, 2007

Is Teflon Safe for Cooking?

Mindful Mum — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 18:01:16 +0000

Question: I’ve heard that I should throw out my teflon baking tray due to health risks? I’ve been using non-stick pans for years, is it safe?

Answer: If you have caught yourself using a metal knife to release your muffins from a non stick tray, a metal spatula to ease out your omelette or accidentally left your grill on the hob, re-read the manufacturer instructions on your non stick cooking equipment.

Despite the ease, convenience and ubiquity of non-stick substances such as Teflon, many health concious parents are gradually phasing out non-stick pots and pans in favour of traditional materials such as stainless steel and cast iron. This is because non-stick materials are made from perfluorochemicals which have been associated with health concerns including; smaller birth weight in new babies, cancer, liver damage and fertility problems.

For safe cooking, use non-stick pans according to the exact instructions laid down by the manufacturer. Mindful Mum gives the ‘low down on non-stick cooking safety’ and provides a list of alternatives to non stick cooking.

Here is the low down on non-stick pan safety and alternatives.

What are the health concerns surrounding Teflon?

Environmentalists have called into question the safety of non-stick materials, and more specifically Perflurooctanic Adic (PFOA) a key ingredient used in the manufacture of Teflon and other non-stick materials used in cookware.

Environmentalists, such as the Environmental Working Group (EWG), have conducted studies showing that toxic fumes leach from non stick pans when cooked at high temperatures. The fumes released from non-stick may cause flu-like symtoms know as polymer fume fever. A study from EWG shows that they can also kill pet birds such as canaries.

DuPont, the company that trademarked Teflon in the US in the 1940’s, acknowledges that its non-stick coatings begin to deteriorate when the cookware reaches about 500 degrees, it notes that those temperatures are higher than typical cooking heats. The company maintains that its pans are safe under normal use.

Health experts also have concerns regarding the use of non-stick in the kitchen. Metal utensils used with non-stick cookware scratch the surface which can release both teflon and the underlying metal such as aluminum into your food.

Has any government action been taken to check the safety of Teflon?

2006: the US Food and Drink Administration, DuPont and several other companies, agreed to voluntarily phase out the production of PFOA by 2015.
2006: the Science Advisory Board told the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that PFOA used in the manufacture of Teflon is a “likely human carcinogen.”
2004: the British government withdrew a related chemical perfluoroocatand sulphonate (PFOS) due to health concerns.

What should I do with Teflon cookware?

If using non-stick for cooking;

Read the manufacturers instructions regarding temperature and type of utensils to be used with non stick.
Check for peeling, flaking and scratching. Throw out any non stick equipment that is damaged.
Use wooden spoons or non-stick utensils with non-stick cookware.
Do not heat non stick cookware beyond tempertures of 500 F. This is because Teflon begins to break down at 536° Fahrenheit and rapidly enters the surrounding air at approximately 600 to 650° F.
Do not use metal utensils (e.g. spoons, spatulas, knives etc) with non-stick pots, pans or bakeware.
Wash teflon pans by hand, not in a dishwasher.

What alternatives are their to non-stick pots and pans?

Stainless Steel
Silicon Bakeware and Utensils
Pyrex Bakeware
Seasoned Cast Iron
Enameled Cast Iron pans

How do I stop food ‘sticking to the pan’ when not using ‘non-stick’?

Pans: heat up the pan first, then add your oil to the hot pan, and let the oil warm up before you put in the food. It won’t stick.
Bakeware: grease baking trays, cake tins and all baking ware well with oil each time you use them.

References

UCLA, Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) may reduce women’s fertility, 2009
EWG, Women at Greater Risk from Teflon, 2009
EWG, Study of Teflon Suggest Harm to Immune System, Liver and Thyroid. 2008
BBC, Teflon's Sticky Situation, 2004
See EWG for more alternatives to nonstick cookware.