A new report commissioned by Greenpeace International has found microplastics and plastic-associated chemicals in baby food packaged in flexible plastic pouches sold under Nestlé’s Gerber and Danone’s Happy Baby Organics brands sold outside the UK.
The findings come from laboratory testing carried out by SINTEF Ocean in 2025 and add to growing scientific concern about the potential for plastic food packaging to contribute to dietary exposure to microplastics, particularly in products intended for infants and young children.
The study analysed two commercially available baby food products – a fruit puree and a dairy-based puree, both packaged in multilayer plastic pouches with resealable spouts. Three samples of each product were tested.
Microplastics were detected in all samples analysed. The study reported average levels of up to 99 particles per gram of food in the Danone fruit puree and up to 54 particles per gram in the Nestlé dairy-based product, corresponding to an estimated total of more than 11,000 particles per pouch for Danone and over 5,000 particles per pouch for Nestlé. The study also notes that smaller particles below 20 micrometres would not have been detected, meaning total levels could be higher than reported.
Particles identified included polyethylene, polypropylene and polyamide. Polyethylene, also used in the inner layer of the pouch packaging, was among the most frequently detected materials.
While this does not confirm the packaging as the sole source of contamination, the overlap between polymers used in the packaging and those found in the food raises concerns that the packaging may be a potential contributor to microplastic presence in the products. Alongside microplastics, chemical analysis identified a range of substances in both food and packaging materials, from which more than 20 substances were classified as plastic-associated chemicals based on existing chemical databases.
One compound detected in both products and packaging, 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol (2,4-DTBP), has been associated in the scientific literature with endocrine-disrupting and obesogenic activity. The authors highlight its presence in infant food products as relevant, given the heightened sensitivity of infants to hormone-active substances during early development.
Although the presence of overlapping substances does not confirm migration from packaging, the consistency between chemicals found in packaging and food samples strengthens concerns about possible transfer pathways that require further investigation.
Flexible plastic pouches have become a dominant format in the baby food sector over the past two decades, replacing glass jars in many markets. These multilayer structures are difficult to recycle and are known to raise questions around material breakdown and potential chemical migration under real-world use conditions.
The authors conclude that the findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that plastic packaging may contribute to early-life exposure to microplastics and plastic-associated chemicals. They call for further research to better understand exposure pathways, particularly for infants.
Crawford-Brown, C. (2026). New study identifies plastic pouches as source of microplastics, chemicals in baby food. Food Packaging Forum. https://foodpackagingforum.org/news/new-study-identifies-plastic-pouches-as-source-of-microplastics-chemicals-in-baby-food
Greenpeace International (2026). BIG PROBLEM THE HIDDEN RISKS OF PLASTIC POUCHES FOR BABY FOOD. https://www.greenpeace.org/static/planet4-usa-stateless/2026/05/95bfb07a-tiny_plastics_big_problem.pdf
