INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE POTENTIAL DEGRADATION OF POLYCARBONATE BABY BOTTLES DURING STERILIZATION WITH CONSEQUENT RELEASE OF BISPHENOL-A

Twenty-four brands of plastic baby feeding bottles were purchased and all were found to be made of polycarbonate. Taking a batch of one repr esentative sample, the polymer was tested for stability and possible r elease of bisphenol A following domestic practice of sterilization. St erilization was by alkaline hypochlorite, steam, or washing in an auto matic dishwasher at 65 degrees C with detergent. A total of 20 cycles of sterilization and subsequent food use were performed for each of th e three procedures. Bisphenol A migration was in all cases not detecta ble in infant feed using a very sensitive method of liquid chromatogra phy with fluorescence detection with a 0.03 mg/kg detection limit.