BPA-Free Plastic Still Damages Your Gut
NonToxCo Research
Science & Safety Team · 5/5/2026
Switched to BPA-free plastic? The replacement might be just as bad. A 2026 study in Toxicol Lett found that bisphenol S (BPS), the most common BPA stand-in used in food packaging, causes the same colon damage as a high-fat diet.
What researchers found
Researchers exposed mice to low doses of BPS for 12 weeks. The results: weight gain, reduced colon length, damaged gut lining proteins (Occludin dropped, Claudin-2 rose), and signs of local inflammation.
The damage from BPS alone matched the damage caused by a high-fat diet alone. Low-dose BPS is enough to trigger colon remodeling.
BPS is used in receipt paper, water bottles, food containers, and products labeled "BPA-free." Manufacturers switched to BPS thinking it was safer. This study says otherwise.
The swap that actually helps
The only way to avoid BPS is to ditch plastic food containers entirely. Glass and stainless steel don't contain bisphenols at all. This matters especially for hot foods, since heat speeds up chemical leaching from any plastic.
Check your food containers, water bottles, and baby gear. If it's plastic and touching food, consider a swap. Non-toxic kitchen alternatives are a good place to start.
Also see glass food containers for safer alternatives.