Despite ongoing safety concerns from parents, consumer groups and politicians, a chemical used in baby bottles, canned food and other items is not dangerous, federal regulators said Friday.

Food and Drug Administration scientists said the trace amounts of bisphenol A that leach out of food containers are not a threat to infants or adults. The agency acknowledged that more research is needed to fully understand the chemical's effects on humans, and noted "there are always uncertainties associated with safety decisions."

By Shannon Koehle
EmpowHer.com's Health Reporter

Plastic baby bottle have been used for many generations, but it is still unknown how safe they truly are.

When manufactured, a large portion of baby bottles are made with polycarbonate plastic. However, this plastic is combined with Bisphenol A (BPA), a toxic chemical, to increase heat resistance and durability of the product.

The problem arises when bottles are heated. Heating the product causes trace amounts of BPA to leach into the liquid contained within the bottle.

I am wondering what everyone thinks about the newest media attention on a relatively old situation: plastics emitting potentially harmful chemicals.

Are you throwing out your baby bottles, water bottles and other plastics that meet the criteria of being potentially harmful? (From what I've read, the "criteria" includes the hard [non-malleable], see-through plastic containers. I haven't seen any other---credible---sources for what the "criteria" is).