Are packaged milk and baby formula leaching BPA from the carton or bottle?
Yes. BPA shows up in carton-packed milk and many plastic baby bottles.
What's actually in it
BPA is used in the inner liner of metal cans, in the plastic film of some milk cartons, and in older clear plastic baby bottles. It binds the layers and keeps liquids from soaking through. It also seeps into the milk over time, faster when warm.
Baby bottles labeled "BPA-free" often swap in BPS or BPF, which mimic estrogen the same way.
What the research says
A 2025 study in Food Chem X tested popular packaged milks and clear plastic baby bottles for BPA. Most milk samples and many of the bottles had detectable BPA. The team modeled the daily dose for babies and found it could nudge the body's hormone signals, especially when warmed for feeding.
The risk was highest for premature babies and any baby fed formula every day from the same plastic bottle.
Use glass or stainless steel bottles for daily feeds. Buy milk in glass when you can find it. If you use formula, mix it in a glass measuring cup and only pour it into the bottle once it's cooled.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Extraction, quantification and health risk assessment of bisphenol A from various kinds of packaged milk and baby bottles. | Food Chem X | 2025 |
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