SPONSORED CONTENT -- (StatePoint) A new investigation has found microplastics in baby food pouches sold by some of the world’s biggest brands — including one labeled organic — raising questions about a packaging format that has overtaken baby food aisles.
Research commissioned by Greenpeace International tested two leading baby food products and estimated thousands of microplastics in each pouch tested, ranging from more than 5,000 in one brand to over 11,00 in the other.
“Parents trust these brands to ensure their babies’ first bites of food are not contaminated with microplastics. Unfortunately, this research shows that even the most trusted brands can’t guarantee that,” said Sybil Bullock, a senior campaigner at Greenpeace USA.
The findings, detailed in a new report titled “Tiny Plastics, Big Problem: The Hidden Risks of Baby Food Plastic Pouches,” point to polyethylene, the plastic that lines the pouches, as a likely source of the microplastics. Researchers also detected a range of chemicals present in both the packaging and the food, including a known harmful endocrine-disrupting chemical in one yogurt product.
This study is among the first attempts to assess the presence of microplastics and plastic chemicals that could be released from spout pouches into baby food. It adds to a rapidly expanding body of evidence on how these tiny plastic particles enter the human body — a particular concern for infants, whose organs and nervous systems are rapidly developing. Even small exposures during these formative months can have lifelong effects on growth, neurological development, metabolism and reproductive health.
“Plastic is not innocuous, nor is it inert. Plastics are made from fossil fuels and thousands of chemicals, many of which are known to be hazardous to human health. Plastic should not be touching any food, certainly not baby food,” says Bullock.
The two brands studied account for roughly 40% of the global baby food market. These flexible twist-top pouches have become the fastest-growing form of packaging in the category of baby food. At a time when plastic-free options are increasingly limited, and certainly not accessible to all parents, advocates say the findings cast a shadow over the entire baby food aisle.
In an effort to drive the industry in the right direction for the good of its customers and the planet, Greenpeace advocates are calling on the world’s leading brands to phase out plastic pouches in favor of non-toxic, plastic-free, reusable packaging. And because they say voluntary corporate commitments haven’t gone far enough to meaningfully reduce companies’ plastic production, Greenpeace is also calling on governments to adopt the United Nations’ Global Plastics Treaty, which would hold producers accountable and curb plastic pollution at the source.
To learn more and for full report details, visit https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/hidden-ingredient-gerber-baby-food-microplastics.
“Governments have more than enough information to apply the precautionary principle and take immediate action. Surely we can all agree that the burden of proof can’t be our children,” said Bullock.
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