The High Council for Public Health (HCSP) now considers it unnecessary to sterilize baby bottles, whether at home or in hospital. What make many parents breathe.
- The HCSP establishes that it is not necessary to use sterile bottles, because a level of bacteriological cleanliness is sufficient when validated hygiene measures are mandatory throughout the production and use chain.
It was a nightmare for the parents: the High Council for Public Health (HCSP) officially puts an end to the sterilization of baby bottles. “The HCSP establishes that it is not necessary to use sterile bottles, because a level of bacteriological cleanliness is sufficient when validated hygiene measures are mandatory throughout the production and use chain”, justifies the health authority in a new opinion.
Carcinogen
The HCSP took into account the absence of the need for sterilization, the definition of the notion of bacteriologically clean and the processes allowing it to be obtained. This update follows the opinion of the Belgian Superior Health Council (CSS) of December 2018, requested in particular on alternatives to sterilization with ethylene oxide, a carcinogenic substance whose use is prohibited in the purification of food containers.
The HCSP also recommends, both at home and in the hospital, to:
– do not use bottles sterilized with ethylene oxide;
– not resorting to the use of sterile bottles and/or teats for all children and infants, even the most at risk, as no clinical situation justifying this has been identified;
– use bacteriologically clean baby bottles in compliance with institutionally validated hygiene measures and in compliance with HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) standards.
Sterilization methods to abandon
For cold sterilization of the baby bottle, bottles, rings and teats had to be immersed for 30 minutes in a tank filled with 4 to 6 liters of water and one or two sterilization tablets. When hot, it was necessary to scald and destroy the bacteria by immersing the bottles in boiling water for 20 minutes.
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