Safety Standards for Baby Feeding Bottles and Sippy Cups

Have you ever wondered what goes into your child’s milk bottle? 

 

From synthetic rubbers to chemical agents, compounds that are not easily discernible by the eye are present in many types of feeding bottles that are meant for toddlers. These chemicals may be harmful to young kids, and even tiny doses may pose problems later on. Not many people take sufficient necessary precautions to prevent their little ones from accidentally ingesting these dangerous chemicals.

 

To prevent this, some countries have stringent regulatory standards to ensure potentially harmful elements in child products are kept to a minimum. The gold standards in the industry are European Standards - EU Regulation 10/2011 and EN 14350. 

 

What are EU Regulation 10/2011 and EN 14350 and why they matter?

 

The EU Regulation 10/2011 governs the quality of food contact material, whereas EN 14350, published by the European Committee for Standardization, is the most stringent and comprehensive set of regulations for the production of drinking equipment intended for children between 0 to 48 months old. Together, the two sets of standards cover a wide variety of safety requirements to give consumers assurance that they are purchasing safe and reliable products for their little ones.

 

These safety requirements cover areas ranging from materials, construction, performance, packaging, as well as the way product information, warning statements and product user instructions are written, so as to ensure proper usage and handling.

 

The EU Food Contact Material Regulations set specific limits on the usage of certain chemicals and the tendency of the bottle to transfer its chemical substances to food/ liquid being stored in quantities which could harm the consumer or affect the smell and taste of the stored content. This is otherwise known as a migration limit.

 

Similarly, EN 14350 specifies certain mechanical and chemical requirements to be met by each batch of feeding equipment. For instance, one of EN 14350 mechanical requirement stipulates that loose articles not be below a certain size that can result in choking. 

 

These two certifications ensure that the baby bottle has neither harmful substances that will affect the baby’s health, nor small parts that may come loose and pose a safety hazard with repeated usage.

 

 

Compliance with EU Regulation 10/2011 tested by third party testing laboratories entitles the manufacturer to display the logo of that of a cup and a cutlery, as seen in the diagram above. Similarly, compliance with the EN 14350 standards can be seen by a EN 14350 labeling in the product information section on the product packaging.  

  

Compliance to these standards are costly as manufacturers have to pay certified testing companies to test their products. More importantly, quality materials that satisfy these requirements also cost more than inferior materials. Therefore, it is natural that manufacturer that fulfils these standards would want to display these certifications on their product packaging to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Naturally, all these inevitably contributes to a higher cost of proction.

 

When it comes to the safety of your child, would you pay a small premium for ease of mind or take an unnecessary risk?

 

Comparisons of EU 10/2011 and EN14350 standards of Baby Products

Currently, there are some products in the market that do not have these certification. However, it is important that parents look for products with these certifications, as they are assurances for the product’s quality and safety. Next, let us examine some of the top-selling baby bottles and sippy cups. (a simple comparison is show below.)

 

Feeding Bottles

Brand Sample	Brand P	Brand PA	Brand M	Brand DB	Brand TT	Evorie
EN14350	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
EU Regulation 10/2011		✓			✓	✓
Sample Material	PPSU	PP	PPSU	PP	PP	TRITAN
Sample Price	$32.90	$25.90	$25.90	$31.90	$26.90	$16.50
Sample Size	2 x 160ml	1 x 260ml	1 x 160ml	2 x 270ml	1 x 340ml	1 x 160ml

 

Sippy Cups

Brand Sample	Brand BB	Brand S	Brand P	Evorie
EN14350	✓		✓	✓
EU Regulation 10/2011			✓	✓
Sample Material	PP, silicone	TRITAN	PP	TRITAN
Sample Price	$15.90	$12.90	$25.90	$20.90
Sample Size	240ml	350ml	200ml	200ml

 

Conclusion

When purchasing baby feeding bottles and sippy cups for young children, while price and functionality are important factors, safety should be the utmost consideration. Therefore, when purchasing baby bottles, drinking equipment and tableware from reliable retailers, always insist on the highest standards possible and that they be displayed prominently, choose those with clear product specifications and user instructions.