Antique glass baby feeding bottles

CV

• 1 story
  • 1.1 Development of definitions
  • 1.2 From the first pottery in the 17th - ^th th centuries
    • 1.2.1 Antiquity
    • 1.2.2 Middle Ages
    • 1.2.3 First bottles of
  • 1.3 Mastery in the 18th - ^th and XIX - ^th centuries
    • 1.3.1 Tin and tin bottles
    • 1.3.2 Regional ceramics
    • 1.3.3 Quimper 9 crockery0024
    • 1.3.4 Blown glass
  • 1.4 Glass in the 19th - ^th th centuries and at the beginning of the 20th - ^th th centuries
    • 1.4.1 First brands
    • 1.4.2 Edouard Robert and bottles with long hose
    • 1. 4.3 The golden age of the bottle
  • 1.5 Modern bottle sterilizer in XX - ^m century
    • 1.5.1 Sterilizer
    • 1.5.2 Screen printing
    • 1.5.3 Screw ring
• 2 Health
  • 2.1 Sterilization
  • 2.2 Bisphenol A plasticity risk
• 3 Notes and references
• 4 apps
  • 4.1 Bibliography
  • 4.2 Related Articles
  • 4.3 Exhibition areas
  • 4.4 External links

History

Biberonde of Regensburg, Germany (c. 1350-800 BC)

Breastfeeding during weaning is a risky time for a baby. In fact, unpasteurized animal milk carries a greater risk of infection than breast milk. A general improvement in nutrition during the Neolithic Revolution promotes the use of animal milk in prehistoric feeding bottles (pottery with this function is attested in children's graves as early as 5000 BC) and leads to an increase in the birth rate.

Many vintage baby bottles (glass or terracotta containers found in many museums and some collections) are not, but rather "breast pumps". The identification of the feeding bottle for these objects, discovered during archaeological excavations, refers to the morphological features of these vases (usually height from 8 to 12 cm , capacity from 70 to 110 ml) and in no way prejudges their function, especially since this difficult to determine. whether these containers are used for the lactation phase or for the weaning phase.

In the Middle Ages, utensils for artificial feeding were a rarity. Basically, there is a reuse of household items (pots, spoons...) and pierced cow horns can be considered in this respect as the first feeding bottles.

Periods that extend from XVII ^e to XX - ^th centuries are characterized by significant changes. Like any historical evolution, these changes occur gradually and the first half of the XX - ^th th century and sees a mix of a wide variety of models.

Evolution of definitions

According to E. Beaugrand, Encyclopedic Dictionary of Medical Sciences , Volume 9, Victor Masson et Fils, Paris, 1868:

“These are what we call vases, which can hold 150 to 200 grams of liquid, terminate in a special nozzle that holds an artificial nipple, and are designed for breastfeeding young babies.
In ancient times and to this day in many rural areas, we simply use a spoon, goblet or something like a burette (pot), after which the child drinks in the usual way, instead of sucking up the liquid, like all mammals. do. But then this perhaps too much ease of swallowing large amounts of milk can have disadvantages, and it is in order to bring artificial breastfeeding as close as possible to natural breastfeeding that bottles were chosen. "

This definition of XIX - ^th century under this topic is good. When talking about feeding bottles, we must distinguish between the various utensils used for artificial breastfeeding and utensils invented to imitate the mother's breasts, which in itself can be qualified as a feeding bottle.

According to encyclopedia Hachette 2005 edition:

“Male name (lat. Bibere “to drink”). The container is designed for artificial feeding of infants. Taking the form of a small bottle, the bottle is made of sterilization-resistant glass or plastic; it has a rubber nipple with a hole through which milk (or other liquid) flows. "

Almost 150 years separate this definition from the first one. The changes that have led to today's baby bottles are largely the result of scientific, industrial and commercial advances.

First crockery in

antiquity

Ancient Greek "baby bottle".

Roman “baby bottles” referred to by the Latin terms guttus , ubuppa or titina , resemble vases with a flat or ring foot, with a slightly lowered globular body, a fairly wide mouth and a conical tubular spout, and are very narrow at medium height. abdomen. Sometimes it is equipped with a vertical handle. Some are "gilded with mica, others are covered with a white slip, sometimes reinforced with bands dyed with red ocher".

In the issue of February 20, 2004 Le Monde published an article by Patrick Martinat on the subject:

"[...] Nadine Rouquet, ceramist, arrived at 1996 in the archaeological service of Bourges, discovers a rich inventory of these "bottles" - about fifty - collected during several excavations near the old Avarikum (Bourges du Tempe de Cesar) carried out in the mid-1970s.

An archaeologist is a little lonely to take an interest in this small closed vase, until he learns that German researchers have found acid deposits on the inside walls of these objects, belonging exclusively to human or animal milk. The design of these vessels allowed her to rule out the questionable use of feeding bottles, and she began an investigation that allowed her to estimate a relatively small number of these items - two hundred and thirty "for the entire territory of the Gauls". "

His theoretical hypothesis about the breast pump - "a medical instrument still used for breast pouring" - is confirmed. Introduced in Libourne in 2000, the idea of ​​milk aspiration by the mother herself is "pretty well received". It remains to feel it. “My friend just gave birth. I asked him to practice this self-priming method and it worked,” explains the archaeologist.

Average age

Medieval cone, pierced cow horn

In several paintings and engravings by Pieter Brueghel the Elder or after him, we find images of children with what can be considered a bottle, but which is nothing more than a horn. This primitive version, known as the "cornet", would be used in the European countryside for a very long time to come. This is undoubtedly the simplest and oldest tool that has been used to feed babies by hand. After cleaning, the horn was pierced at the end, and the small hole thus formed was closed with a cow's udder or twisted cloth, which was held on a thread; this second system called "flag" will continue until the beginning of XX - ^th th century coiffera a large variety of models. The most commonly used was goat's milk, which was considered more digestible, hence the name "chevret", referring to a breastfeeding horn for infants or a tube-necked vase (made of terracotta, glass, or pewter) for children. hold this object.

First bottles

First "production" tools for artificial delivery date from XVI - ^th and XVII - ^th th century. They are probably from Russia, Germany, Switzerland, Holland or England and are intended for the wealthy sections of society.

These may be primitive cornet fixtures of silver or glass, or chiseled wood or pewter. As for the little people, they are content with the medieval cornet, as F. Ratier tells us in an 1830 article discussing the evolution of the device:

“[...] starting with a cow horn, decorated at the small end with an animal nipple, which the peasants of Ukraine present to children ...”

Mastery in

Many forms of utensils, materials and various types are used in XVIII - and XIX - centuries. These models, too varied to be listed, can nevertheless be grouped into several large families. All of the samples discussed have one thing in common: the adoption of a system that forces the baby to suckle. Thus we exclude all the spoon- or pot-type instruments, which the writers of the time distinguish from the feeding bottle.

Tin and tin bottles

Most tin bottles are of the baluster type with a threaded nipple on a leg (or pedestal). There are "options", straight (not pansus) or pear-shaped, but in all cases only the nipple is unscrewed. These models can be seen in the Public Aid Museums in Paris and the Hospices Civils de Lyon, as well as in the Dufour collection.

Less common are three-piece balusters that unscrew in the middle. However, this is an undoubted progress in terms of hygiene, proving that this problem is not yet relevant. One copy is listed in the book of Abbé Bidault (unbranded) and the other in the work of Michel Schonne. The latter is signed by the tin potter Salmon in Chartres.

Even more surprisingly, several pharmaceutical catalogs from the early 1860s feature hoof-shaped baby bottles from the Guilbaut brand. This manufacturer, who nevertheless offers walking classics, seems to be the only one who has tried to sell this rarity.

Tin bottles are small jugs with a long spout that were used in the everyday life of that time. They are very rare today due to the variable nature of the material used, but are nonetheless very representative.

Regional pottery

While tin is easy to identify, the same cannot be said for many pottery from the Middle Ages, whose appearance and use are not always very obvious. However, these pots have a few points in common by which we can identify them: a spout, short or long, which is most often closed with a flag, a filling hole, and a capacity that varies on average from 120 to 150 ml.

Faience crockery from Kemper

There is a type that deserves our attention, because it leaves no doubt about its use, it is "Pod bronnek". The egg-shaped vase on a pedestal has an upper opening with a small straight neck, a side handle and a nipple-shaped spout.

It seems established that these jugs were used as feeding bottles. Ancient Breton postcards on the subject of almost frequent and numerous articles at the end of XIX - ^th and at the beginning of XX - ^th evokes: a drawing in an 1889 book illustration or in Breton's browser which shows what type of bottle is used with the hose. If this usage is clearly contrived, it nevertheless proves unequivocally that this type of object was used to breastfeed children. Finally, a Gauguin canvas dated 1889 shows an excellent example.

blown glass

This is the end of XVII - ^th , but especially at the beginning of XIX - ^th century glass is distributed in the field of artificial feeding. After several unsuccessful attempts with rubber, the tests will again focus on glass. The quality of transparency and immutability associated with this material is the main reason. Thus, one can read in several medical works of the early XIX ^E century statements going in this direction:

“We choose glass bottles whenever possible; made of metal, wood or rubber, always containing a more or less strong, more or less offensive, unpleasant, repulsive odor to the child. "

Among the various glass models, most will be simple bottles, but one form that will become widespread and last over a century is the smear. It turns out that at the beginning of XIX - ^th centuries and is still in 1910 in Robert's catalog. The characteristics of this bottle will not change much during this time. The feeding bottle has an elongated body with a spout welded to the main body by means of a flange attached at the time of manufacture. There is a filling hole at the top. Some models, more rarely, without a front panel.

Glass

Dorvo Pharmaceutical Catalog 1862, pp. 194

Vosges Bottle Hygienic Grandgin , early 20 - ^th collection of the century museums of the county of Haute-Saône

Along with these blown glass bottles, whether smear or not, there will be several models that will have in common, in addition to being used for most of the inner tube system and a very elaborate nipple that would bear the name of their inventor. So the great novelty of these bottles is that they are no longer anonymous. This is the arrival of brands. Previously, only a few blows, as we have seen, infrequent, indicated the origin.

First brands

Far from being a trivial change, it is probably the basis of the modern bottle, which will thus move from hand-made production to factory production with appropriate trade and advertising. Thus begins to find the middle XIX - ^th century, inserts that strongly resemble advertising:

" M ^me Breton, midwife, has just handed over his factories of bottles, nipples, his street property San Sebastian, 40 Boulevard Filles du Calvaire, he receives pregnant ladies for all stages of pregnancy, at reasonable prices. "

This was the start of a competition between inventors, whether they were doctors, midwives or industrialists.

A large number of models can be found in the late 1860s. Dorvo's 1862 catalog lists them: Biberon de Madame Breton, Darbo, Charrière, Thiers. We can also mention the Mathieu bottle, the Salmers bottle, the Leplanque bottle, or finally the Bourca.

Edouard Robert and bottles with a long hose

Glass baby bottles became popular during the industrial revolution. The industry will allow the production of glass vials on a large scale. This inventor-manufacturer will be a symbol of artificial breastfeeding for almost 50 years.

In the late 1860s, Dijon entrepreneur Édouard Robert improved his "Robert valve bottle" (a system of long tubes with a second hole called a "valve" to control the flow). This bottle will symbolize the brand for over 20 years; This is despite the fact that the factory produces a few swabs and simple feeding bottles with screw-on glass caps and long tubes.

This bottle will be praised by many. Thus, in 1873, Robert's faucet with valve received a medal of honor with the inscription "Paris 1873 - World Exhibition - honor to Robert", and the following year - in Marseille - the Society for the Protection of Children. In 1883, in an article written by the Academy of Hygiene Against Diseases of Infancy and Infant Mortality, Dr. Vandenabel praised her:

“We were a little touched when the English flooded us with their bottles, the rubbers of which contained a significant amount of zinc salts and which poisoned a third of babies in France. The French engineer Mr. Robert gladly decided to correct this state of affairs by presenting a feeding bottle, which has not only convenient, but also physiological qualities. "

"Robert's bottle has, in our opinion, rendered and is intended to render the most significant service to mankind in the field of artificial breastfeeding, because this bottle combines the basic qualities necessary either for good design or for great simplicity. What a baby experiences when sucking (...) What gives the Biberon Robert its superiority over all other bottles is its elastic valve.(...) This mechanism will allow the baby to pump fluid regularly, as well as save him from extra effort. "

- The art of bottle feeding - Plon 1877 - Source: Gallica

The Golden Age of the Bottle

Shortly before the end of the 1880s, a long battle began against these death devices (called "killer bottles" by the British), because researchers at that time discovered the causative agents of the main infectious diseases that milk can transmit (tetanus, typhus, diphtheria, mullet in pigs), hence the observation that "the breast protects, the bottle nauseates, kills or leads to madness". The development of milk sterilization as a result of the work of the German Franz von Soxhlet speaks at the end of XIX - ^th century the use of sterilized bottles and nipples that transform the relationship between women and babies, the symbolic point of view as from the "practical" point of view.

This period is undoubtedly one of the richest in terms of models and brands of the bottle object. We are gradually moving from a bottle with a long hose, which will be banned in 1910, to a feeding bottle, which is shaped like a flat hoof.

In addition to Robert, we can refer to Monchovaut, Grandjean, Rougeot or Leplanquais, who, although they came from the pre-industrial period, continued to sell models late.

All these models, and many others, market share for artificial breastfeeding in full expansion for several decades separating the first models of the inventors of the beginning of XIX ^E century, sterilizers resulting in a "drop of milk". At the end of the same century.

Sterilizer modern bottle

The first part of XX - ^th century is undoubtedly one of those times when very different models coexist. The French countryside is still full of "killer" bottles with long pipes, as well as many small faience or earthenware jugs from the pre-industrial period. Cities have not become more “modern”, and while some pharmacies sell the new straight-shaped hollow glass bottles, of which the Lolo brand is one of the most famous, there are still models of feeders, bottles or long pipes from the last century.

Sterilizer

The Bachelet catalog in its 6- ^m edition dating from 1910-1920 presents the bottle of Lolo among the feeders Grandjean (incomparable and Meusien), Robert (improved without tube and feeder) and other models of the same kind. This 54th page of the catalog adequately represents the beginning of the century. If all bottles now have nipples, the straight shape will still be marginal.

Thanks to the observations and experience of some doctors, the recommendations of the Medical Academy will become more and more accurate, and hygiene will become the main concern of manufacturers. The denunciation of old systems and sterilization is pushing manufacturers to evolve their models towards a more modern form that will lead to the development of something still unrelated to the bottle: the sterilizer.

silkscreen

One of the first examples of this type of bottle is probably the Amour bottle reproduced on page 210 of the Dufour catalogue. This model dates from the beginning of XX - ^th century. This predecessor repeats the features of the genre: a cylindrical bottle with colored stenciled inscriptions. However, we cannot yet speak of a screen-printed bottle in the modern sense of the word. The inscriptions, of course, are “stenciled”, but in the traditional way. This very tedious technique is rapidly being replaced by industrial screen printing.

So with color screen printing, the bottle will find a way to stand out. This time, the brands will be related to the food industry and, in particular, to the dairy industry. Take Nestlé, Mont Blanc, Gloria, Maggi (acquired by Nestlé in 1947) or even Gallia/Gervais. All these producers produce so-called condensed milk (most often sweetened), which from 1946 will become the basis of preparations for post-war newborns. Obviously, all these brands will have in common, emphasizing the quality of their products.

First Nestlé, Mont Blanc and some others will sell fine glass bottles in several sizes, then Nestlé will move to the cylindrical shape we still know and use Pyrex glass.

Swiss Nestlé and French Mont Blanc would share a large market share in the 1940s and 1950s. The inscriptions on these models will be real operating instructions.

screw ring

In the early 1950s, feeding bottles were enriched with an innovation that continues to this day: the screw ring system. However, this system will only apply to one model registered within a certain time: Bib 49 . The hexagonal hollow glass bottle is provided with a large thread on which the ring holding the nipple is fixed, all this is protected by a shutter, and the assembly does not yet have a stopper. The bakelite material used at the beginning is quickly replaced by plastic.

Mont Blanc and Remond will be the first screen printers to use this process. Stenciled inscriptions will retain their "multi-dose" (condensed, powdered or even natural milk) for some time, giving way to a single graduation in milliliters with the disappearance of concentrated milk in favor of milk powder.

For this period, we will obviously keep the Guigoz milk brand, but above all, Remond, which is still present today, will dominate the bottle market for almost 20 years. .

Health

Sterilization

"Sterilizers" and bottle warmers are still widely used, even though the French health authorities (notably the French Safety Agency in 2005) indicated that:

• bottle sterilization is not necessary for healthy children. On the one hand, washing dishes in the dishwasher or by hand, with a bottle brush, in hot water with the addition of dishwashing liquid is sufficient. On the other hand, microwave devices or commercial "sterilizers" do not qualify under European (CEN) or French (AFNOR) standardization as sterilization processes.
• It is only necessary to warm the bottle before use if it is stored at or below 4 °C .

BPA plastic risk

Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical present in very plastic food and including 90% of baby bottles was involved in 2008. BPA is suspected of being endocrine disruptor. The American Medical Association published a study in October 2008 which concluded that an increase in BPA concentration in the urine increases the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease by 39%.

Six major baby bottle manufacturers have just decided not to make them in the United States anymore, but there is no indication of their export position. In Canada, all bottles containing BPA have been taken off the market as a precautionary measure. In Europe, the ASAE believes that infant doses of BPA are too low to be dangerous. Some bottle makers (Dodie; Avent of the Philips group) decided in 2008 to produce BPA-free bottles, but sold at a higher price. On Wednesday, June 23, 2010, the French National Assembly voted to ban Bisphenol A (BPA) from baby bottles. In late 2012, following an ANSES report on BPA toxicity, it passed a law banning BPA in all food containers intended for babies from 2013 and early 2015 for others: jars, plastic packaging, tin cans. Physicians of the Santé Environment France Association have been mobilizing for a long time to raise awareness of the dangers of BPA. D ^Dr. Patrice Halimi, Secretary General of ASEF, stated in a press release: “This shows that the publication of research, political power sometimes gets to the ear! However, we must remain vigilant until the law is enforced. The law on air has been passed, so we breathe better, that's not why.

Notes and links

1. ↑ bottle
2. ↑ (in) J. Dunn, C. Rebay-Salisbury, R. B. Salisbury, A. Frisch, C. Walton-Doyle, and R. P. Evershed, " Ruminant milk in ceramic baby bottles from prehistoric children-serious ', Nature , September 25, 2019, (DOI 10.1038/s41586-019-1572-x)
3. ↑ Camille Gobert, " 5000 years ago our ancestors poured animal milk into clay bottles ", on sciencesetavenir.fr, September 25, 2019,
4. ↑ Danielle Gurevich, " Ancient breast pumps and the medical use of human milk ,» History of Medical Sciences , p ^o 24, 1990 , pp. 149–159
5. ↑ Gerard Coulomb, Child in Roman Gaul , Errance Publishing House, 2004 , pp. 60
6. ↑ Daniel Gurevich, "Roman bottles: shapes and names", in Guy Sabbah (ed.), Le latin medicale. Scientific Language Constitution , Saint-Étienne, 1991, 117-133.
7. ↑ Gerard Coulomb, Child in Roman Gaul , Errance, 2004 , p. 61
8. ↑ Daniel Alexandre-Bidon, Monique Closson, Child in the Shadow of Cathedrals , University Press of Lyon, 1985 , pp. 135
9. ↑ However, the 1873 World's Fair was held in Vienna.
10. ↑ Kathryn Rolle, Early Childhood Policy in the Third Republic , National Institute for Population Research, 1990 , page 570
11. ↑ Katherine Rolle, Early Childhood Policy in the Third Republic , National Institute for Population Research, 1990 , pp. 195
12. ↑ Yvonne Kniebiler (1991), Corps et cœurs' In: G. Duby, M. Perrot (Eds.), Histoire des femmes en Occident , vol. 4, Paris: Plon, p. 351-387
13. ↑ FEC. 1299
14. ↑ "United States is getting rid of BPA bottles", on Citizen Science, March 9, 2009
15. ↑ "New rollback of BPA ban on baby bottles", Actualité News Wednesday, November 23, 2010
16. ↑ http://www.anses.fr/fr/content/bisph%C3%A9nol
17. ↑ Le Monde with AFP, " Ban on BPA in food containers finally passed", Le Monde , December 13, 2012 (read online) .
18. ↑ http://www.metronews.fr/info/bisphenol-al-alerte-sur-les-biberons-devient-officielle/mjbg!ZMuLYhijyxg6/
19. ↑ "Bisphenol A: Creator of Breast Cancer", on Asef, May 10, 2012

Applications

Bibliography

• The art of bottle feeding, Plon (Paris) 1877 [ read online ]
• Abbé Paul Bidault and Dr. Jean Lepart, Medical and Pharmaceutical Banks , Massin, 1979
• Michel Schonne, Chartres Tin Potters , Fontenay-sur-Cony, Alphonse Marre, 1982
• Marie-Claude Delahai, Nipples and pacifiers, a history of breastfeeding , ed. Trame Way, 1990.
• Béatrice Fontanelle and Claire d'Harcourt, The Epic of the Infants - The Story of the Little Men , ed. La Martiniere, 1996
• Collective, Les Biberons du Docteur Dufour , Exhibition Catalogue, Ed. Museums of Fecamp, 1997
• Marie-Claude Delahai, Formula-fed infants , ed. Hoebeke, 2003
• Cecile Lacharme, Collection of Feeding Bottles by Prof. Ettore Rossi, On the History of Infant Feeding from Antiquity to the Present , Ed. Alimentarium Foundation, 2004
• Ludovic Clément, A bottle through the ages - A bottle in France since its inception , Loulou, Lyon, 2010
• Jean-Pierre Deschamps and Denise Bloch, Focus on baby bottles and cereals, another look at the diet of toddlers , Éditions Associates d'îmes, Nancy, 2010

Related Articles

• Breastfeeding
• Food allergy
• Artificial milk
• Bisphenol A (BPA)

Exhibition grounds

• Public Aid Hospital Museum, 47 quai de la Tournelle, Paris
• Lyon Museum of Civil Hospices, 1 Place de l'Hôpital, Lyon
• Children's Art Museum, Rue Alexandra Legros 21, Fecamp
• Alimentarium - Food Museum, Promenade Perdonnet, Vevey (Switzerland)

External links

• Website: Illustrated bottle history
• Site: collection of silk-screened baby bottles
• [PDF] Hygiene advice for the preparation and storage of baby bottles (AFSAA Press Kit)
• [PDF] Hygienic recommendations for the preparation and storage of baby bottles (AFSAA report)

Baby bottles - 42 answers

........ with non-childish consequences
Terrified after reading the article:

Plastic utensils cause infertility the content of harmful compounds that affect the endocrine system. Especially plastic bottles are harmful to babies.

77 Harvard College students were asked to use popular and convenient tableware. During the first week, the participants went through a "cleansing phase" where they drank cold drinks only from stainless steel bottles to flush out the remaining bisphenol A (diphenylolpropane, DPP) from the body. Then everyone was given polycarbonate bottles and asked only to use them for a week to store cold drinks. Participants submitted a urine test at the end of the cleansing phase and again after a week of using polycarbonate bottles. As a result, the concentration of DFP in the urine of students at the end of the week of using plastic dishes was 69% higher than at the end of the cleansing period. "This figure reflects the average BPA levels of any person using polycarbonate tableware," said Karin B Michels, professor of epidemiology at Harvard Medical School ( HSPH ), who led the study.
Previous discoveries have shown that bottled DPP affects reproductive function in animals and is associated with the development of cardiovascular disease and diabetes in humans. Bisphenol A disrupts animal hormones, leading to premature sexual maturity, changes in the formation and development of breast tissue, and reduced sperm production. DFP is most toxic for offspring in the early stages of embryonic development.

“Drinking cold plastic liquids for just one week increases urinary BPA levels by more than two-thirds. And when such dishes, such as those containing baby food, are heated, the chemical affects the body even more,” says Michels, explaining that “infants are extremely susceptible to endocrine-disrupting DFP.”

Canada banned the use of polycarbonate in baby food utensils last year. In the US, six major plastic tableware companies have officially announced they are phasing out polycarbonate as a raw material. But despite this, rigid polycarbonate bottles are still often used by students, tourists and others as reusable containers for drinks. And many manufacturers still make baby bottles from it.

If the number 7 corresponds to the recycling symbol on a hard plastic bottle, then this means that it is made of polycarbonate, since category No. 7 combines “all other plastics”, including polycarbonate. DFP is also found in dental filling materials and sealants used on aluminum food and beverage cans. It remains to nostalgic for the good Soviet times with cans, glass bottles and paper bags and carefully choose modern dishes for yourself and the kids.

Research published in the May issue of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives .
Polycarbonates - a group of thermoplastics, polyesters of carbonic acid and dihydric alcohols of the general formula (-O-R-O-CO-)n. Aromatic polycarbonates are of the greatest industrial importance, primarily polycarbonate based on bisphenol A due to the availability of bisphenol A, synthesized by the condensation of phenol and acetone.

Bisphenol A - Technical diphenylolpropane, DFP is a chemical substance in the form of white granules. According to the degree of impact on the body, it belongs to substances of the 3rd hazard class.

I was horrified, because my daughter has been drinking from a polycarbonate bottle of the AVENT brand for several years. At first it was baby formula, then the nipple on the bottle was changed to a special spout, and instead of the mixture there was already tea or compote. Yes, no doubt the bottle is convenient, the child likes it, but who would have thought that special children's tableware, and even a world-class brand, could be dangerous. Who knows, maybe the allergy that my child has is of this origin.

After reading the article, I went to the AVENT website, and in the FAQ section I read (underlined what I think shows the cynical and false statements):

What temperature is recommended to heat the bottles?
Studies have shown that the release of BPA from polycarbonate containers in liquids is highly dependent on the temperature of the liquid, i.e. the higher the temperature of the liquid, the higher the release of BPA. If you don't know what temperature to heat your bottles to, Philips AVENT recommends using a bottle warmer that heats liquid based on volume so you can keep track of the temperature. Microwave heating of bottles is not recommended as this may affect the composition of the breast milk or formula and heat the liquid unevenly. With regard to Bisphenol-A, there is evidence of the release of this element when heated to high temperatures, however, it should be remembered that the amount of Bisphenol-A released is much lower than the allowable dose established by the EFSA.

What is the Philips AVENT bottle number? There was information not to use products labeled 7.
The numbered label 7, which is often mentioned, is as follows:

Labeling with this number does NOT indicate the presence of bisphenol-A. This number indicates the type of plastic and how/possibility to recycle it. The number 7 is used to refer to several types of plastic, including both those that contain BPA and those that DO NOT CONTAIN BPA. The recycling code does not provide specific information about the BPA content. To help customers, Philips AVENT has developed a new, clearer label for baby food products.

Why are Philips AVENT bottles not labeled with a number?
The number marking indicates the types of plastic that can be recycled in different ways. To help consumers, Philips AVENT has developed a new, clearer label for BPA-free baby foods.

Does Philips AVENT agree not to use scratched or damaged bottles?
Yes. This is stated in the instructions for using the products: high concentration detergents can lead to plastic cracking. If this happens, replace the product immediately. We recommend following this rule not because the bottles contain BPA. Damaged bottles are more difficult to clean and more dangerous to use as there is an increased risk of fluid leakage and injury to the baby.

What is bisphenol-A?
Bisphenol-A is a chemical used primarily in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate plastic is used in the manufacture of baby bottles, as well as plastic bottles, medical devices, sports equipment, etc. It is more resistant to cracking, which can cause injury.

Why do some scientists think the BPA used in baby bottles is dangerous?
Some scientists are concerned that bisphenol-A can be released from plastic into the liquid contained in the bottle, especially when heated to high temperatures, and have a harmful effect on the body, in particular on the child's body. It should be remembered that to date, special studies on the effect of bisphenol-A on the human body have not been conducted, and the conclusions of scientists are mostly based on laboratory studies of animals, such as mice.

Why weren't BPA bottles banned worldwide?
The use of plastic in baby bottles is regulated by various organizations such as EFSA (European Food Safety Authority). The agency's policy on this issue is clearly stated on the official EFSA website. In July 2008, EFSA published research data on differences in the excretion of bisphenol-A from the body of children and adults. The results showed that the dose of bisphenol-A received was below the acceptable daily intake (0.05 milligrams per kilogram of body weight) for both adults and newborns. It has been proven that when bisphenol-A enters the body, it is metabolized and excreted. The body of a newborn is also able to excrete bisphenol-A in quantities much higher than the allowable daily dose. To the question "What is the maximum allowable dose?" EFSA responded: "In order for a three-month-old baby weighing 6 kg to receive the maximum allowable daily dose, he needs to drink milk from a bottle 4 times the norm."

Do Philips AVENT bottles contain BPA?
Philips AVENT Airflex refillable bottles are made of polycarbonate and therefore contain BPA. As an alternative to polycarbonate plastic, you can use the Philips AVENT VIA feeding system and the Magic Series (Sportster cups and bottles), which are made of polypropylene or polyethylene and are BPA-free and also suitable for Philips AVENT nipples. Philips AVENT also launched refillable bottles made from BPA-free plastic.

Are there any plans to launch new BPA-free products?
We monitor the demand in different markets, try to respond to all changes and meet the needs of our customers and partners in the retail industry.

How do I know if a product contains BPA?
Our new polyethersulfone refillable bottles are BPA-free.

Why are only BPA-free Philips AVENT bottles sold in North America?
Philips AVENT studies market demands to best meet the needs of consumers and retail partners. That's why we've added a BPA-free product to our range: a new reusable feeding bottle made from polyethersulfone. Based on our observation of the US market, we have come to the conclusion that the demand for BPA-free products has increased significantly, which is why some of our partners have begun to supply only BPA-free products to the market. Late last year, we made the decision to only supply BPA-free products to our US retail partners.

Can you confirm that the PES bottle is BPA free?
Independent testing and supplier's letter of guarantee has shown that the polyethersulfone used in the manufacture of bottles does not contain BPA.

Do Philips AVENT breast pumps contain BPA?
Some parts of iQ breast pumps are made of polycarbonate and therefore contain BPA. Some scientists are concerned that BPA may be released from the plastic into the liquid contained in the bottle, especially when heated to high temperatures. Since fluid is not stored in breast pumps, there is no cause for concern. Philips AVENT monitors demand in different markets and strives to meet the needs of customers and retail partners. We understand the importance of choice, which is why we created a BPA-free PES breast pump.

What material are the new BPA-free bottles made of?
Polyethersulfone - BPA-free, gold-coloured plastic.

When and where will new bottles be available?
We are now actively distributing BPA-free products as we believe they are the best addition to our existing wide range of baby feeding products. Polyethersulfone (BPA free) bottles are currently available in North America, Australia, China (including Hong Kong), Chile, France, Germany, New Zealand, Scandinavia, Singapore, Taiwan, UK.

Are items containing polycarbonate being phased out?
We have been manufacturing bottles for 25 years and stand behind the quality of our products. We carefully study the requirements of the market in order to best meet the needs of consumers and partners in the retail industry.

Are Philips AVENT bottles made of polycarbonate safe?
The use of plastic in baby bottles is regulated by various organizations such as EFSA (European Food Safety Authority). The agency's policy on this issue is clearly stated on the official EFSA website. In July 2008, EFSA published research data on differences in the excretion of bisphenol-A from the body of children and adults. The results showed that the dose of bisphenol-A received was below the acceptable daily intake (0.05 milligrams per kilogram of body weight) for both adults and newborns. It has been proven that when bisphenol-A enters the body, it is metabolized and excreted. The body of a newborn is also able to excrete bisphenol-A in quantities much higher than the allowable daily dose. To the question "What is the maximum allowable dose?" EFSA responded: "In order for a three-month-old baby weighing 6 kg to receive an acceptable daily dose, he needs to drink milk from a bottle 4 times the norm."

How did the company respond to Health Canada's ban?
Following Health Canada's ban on the sale of BPA bottles, we have made the decision to only supply BPA-free products to the Canadian market.

Epilogue.

Yesterday I went to a large pharmacy selling AVENT brand bottles and asked an employee about the availability of AVENT bottles made of polyethersulfone (see above). The first thing she said to me was:

"What are your allergies?"

Then she began to explain to me that they sell only polycarbonate, and in conclusion she added:

listed, I did not report.

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