A synthetic chemical linked to reproductive disorders, obesity and cancer has been identified in baby dummies manufactured by three prominent European brands.
Laboratory analysis discovered “bisphenol A” in products from Dutch multinational Philips, Swiss oral care specialist Curaprox and French toy manufacturer Sophie la Girafe, though all items had been marketed as either "BPA-free" or "natural rubber."
The Czech consumer organization “dTest” conducted examinations on 21 pacifiers purchased from European retailers and online marketplace Temu.
Researchers employed artificial saliva solutions at body temperature to simulate real-world conditions, detecting BPA concentrations exceeding European Union safety limits in four products.
The Curaprox product "baby grow with love" soother contained nearly double the permitted BPA migration level at 19 micrograms per kilogram.
Chemical safety campaigner Chloe Topping emphasized children's particular vulnerability to endocrine-disrupting compounds like BPA, noting they "can act at very, very low concentrations" during critical developmental stages.
The synthetic chemical's structural similarity to estrogen enables it to mimic natural hormones, potentially causing reproductive complications, behavioral changes and increased cancer risks according to multiple scientific studies.
Manufacturer responses varied significantly after the findings were published. Curaden immediately withdrew affected Curaprox batches and offered customer refunds, while Sophie la Girafe's parent company Vulli contested the significance of the 3μg/kg detection in their product.
In addition to that, the last one, Philips, maintained their own testing showed no BPA presence despite the independent laboratory's contrary results.
