Most baby-food manufacturers using toxic chemical in packaging

An environmental organization in the U.S. says that cans containing liquid infant formula and sold in North America, contain the toxic chemical Bisphenol A (BPA).

The Washington-based Environmental Working Group (EWG) have also found that the chemical is used in the packaging powdered formula.

BPA is a chemical that mimics the hormone estrogen and is especially toxic to children.

Two separate panels sponsored by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) have both expressed concerns within the last year about infant exposure to BPA.

One of the panels comprised of 38 international BPA experts expressed grave concerns that human exposures are at or above the levels that cause harm in animal studies.

The other panel concluded that there was "some concern" that infant exposure could harm brain development and adversely affect behaviour; they advise parents to avoid infant exposure to the chemical until serious outstanding questions about BPA's potential harm are cleared up.

A survey by EWG has revealed that all the major manufacturers of liquid infant formula sold in North America use cans lined with bisphenol A, and most manufacturers of powdered formula also acknowledge using the chemical in their packaging.

Because BPA is tasteless the chemical is widely used to make the epoxy linings on the insides of food and beverage cans and it is also used in polycarbonate plastic baby bottles and water bottles.

Many new parents are already aware that the toxic chemical leaches from plastic baby bottles and have switched to BPA-free bottles for their infants.

The EWG says they should have access to BPA-free formula as well.

Previous formula tests carried out by EWG and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have shown that BPA leaches from the plastic lining of metal cans into liquid formula, exposing formula-fed babies to potentially harmful concentrations that are higher than levels leaching from the bottles.

BPA levels in powdered formula sold in the United States have not yet been tested, but this formula is diluted with water before being fed to babies, and therefore poses less risk to babies.

The results of the survey are due to be released by the group in the United States and in Canada.

The EWG has created an online guide for parents to help them make the most informed decisions about how they feed their babies.