Tests on small childcare articles
Small childcare articles are highly susceptible products as they are intended for babies and young children and are placed in the mouth during use.
In these products it is critical to carry out laboratory tests to guarantee the safety of the product both in terms of its design and strenght, and the absence of toxic and harmful substances.
We perform safety tests on all small childcare articles (soothers, soother holders, feeding bottles, teats, cutlery and feeding utensils, etc.) in accordance with European and international regulations, as well as applicable legislation (REACH, food contact, etc…)
Services relating to the testing of small childcare articles
We carry out physical-mechanical, chemical and product information safety tests on all small childcare articles:
- Tests on soothers according to European standard EN 1400.
- Tests on soother holders (also known as chains, soother clips, pacifier chains) according to European standard EN 12586.
- Tests on feeding bottles, teats, trainer cups, drinking cups, etc. according to European standard EN 14350.
- Tests on children’s cutlery and feeding utensils (cups, children’s spoons, children’s forks, children’s knives, plates and bowls) according to European standard EN 14372.
Our laboratory is accredited by the ENAC (accreditation No. 6/LE016) to test all the safety standards of the above mentioned small childcare articles.
PHYSICAL-MECHANICAL TESTS IN SMALL CHILDCARE ARTICLES
Physical-mechanical safety tests simulate the conditions of continued use of the products, applying additional safety margins, and are performed to ensure that the products remain safe throughout their useful life. Some of the determinations we carry out: we check that the teats of the soothers do not come off, that the products are resistant during their use, that there are no small parts, that the decorations and printed motifs are correctly adhered, etc.
We also check that the product and labelling information that accompanies these small childcare articles contains all the information that is required to use the product safely.
CHEMICAL TESTS FOR SMALL CHILDCARE ARTICLES
We carry out chemical tests to determine that childcare articles are free of toxic substances that can be harmful to infants and young children.
The migration of heavy metals, the presence of phthalates, colorants, aromatic amines, monomers, formaldehyde, among others, is determined.
Benefits of safety testing in small childcare articles
- Small childcare products are very critical because when they are used they come into contact with children’s mouths and even with food. That is why they are subject to extensive market surveillance controls such as consumer inspections.
- Having our professionals carry out safety tests on products implies the acceptance of the products as our laboratory is accredited by the ENAC and recognised by the market surveillance authorities.
- Our technical staff participate in standardisation committees, so we have the criteria and the latest updates. In the case of small childcare articles, the working group dealing with childcare products for food, drink, suction and similar functions (soothers, feeding bottles, chains…) is CEN/TC 252/WG 5 “Feeding, drinking, sucking and similar functions”.
- Therefore, compliance with safety standards presupposes that the article is safe and compliant with General Safety Directive 2001/95/EC.
To carry out these tests, AIJU’s laboratory is equipped with all the necessary equipment: gauges simulating children’s body parts, universal tensile machines, tailor-made equipment.
With regard to chemical equipment, we have cutting-edge technology:
- Gas chromatographers with mass spectrometry detection (GC-MS).
- Gas chromatographers with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID).
- Liquid chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry detection (LC-QTOF).
- High-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array (HPLC-DAD) and fluorescence detection.
- Inductively coupled plasma – optical emission spectrophotometry (ICP-OES).
- Optical emission spectrophotometry with mass spectrometry detection (ICP-MS) with and without coupling with liquid chromatography.
- Ultraviolet-visible spectrometry.
Proven experience in small childcare tests
- AIJU’s laboratory has more than 30 years of experience in carrying out safety tests on small childcare articles. We are the first laboratory to be accredited by ENAC to carry out tests on small childcare articles.
- AIJU’s laboratory has specific testing facilities in which it performs safety tests on small childcare products. Our facilities are equipped with all the necessary test equipment to carry out the tests: climatic chambers, test gauges, small parts cylinder, universal tensile machines, chromatographs, mass spectrometers, etc.
