Can plastic toys release bisphenols when babies mouth them?
Yes. A 2025 Swiss study found bisphenols migrated from many children's products under simulated saliva testing.
What's actually in it
Some plastic toys, bath toys, oral products, and feeding accessories can contain BPA and related bisphenols. These chemicals can act like hormones in the body.
Babies do not handle toys like adults. They mouth them, chew them, and keep them wet with saliva.
What the research says
A 2025 study in Chemosphere tested 162 children's products from the Swiss market. The products included toys, bath toys, oral supports, feeding accessories, and baby bottles.
The researchers used artificial saliva to copy mouth contact. They found widespread bisphenol release, with BPA and bisphenol B detected most often. Products meant for direct mouth contact had higher migration rates than toy and bath-toy groups.
The study also found that exposure from these products alone exceeded the European Food Safety Authority safety threshold for BPA in the model.
For toys that go in the mouth, choose unfinished wood, organic cotton, or other simple materials when you can. Avoid old plastic teethers, squeeze toys, and mystery plastic toys for mouthing.
The research at a glance
| Study | Journal | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Assessing bisphenols migration from children's products on the Swiss market: simulated oral exposure and risk implications. | Chemosphere | 2025 |