Most parents try so hard these days to make sure their kids aren’t slurping sugary drinks full of artificial colors and flavors, all while having no idea that the sippy cups their children may be less-than-safe.
Social media has been flooded recently with posts by angry parents who found mold in Tommee Tippee sippy cups. Black mold has found a suitable environment to grow in: in the inside of the cups’ white spout on the underside of the lid. The mold appears to build up even when parents painstakingly clean them out.
Forsyth, Missouri, mom Laura Greene discovered the dangerous growth in her 19-month-old daughter’s cup on Friday after reading several other parents’ posts about the mold on Facebook. She told CNN:
“We spent 15 minutes sawing the spout open. Once we got inside, it was covered in black mold.”
Greene claims she always washed the cup immediately after use, either by hand with soapy water, or in the dishwasher with all the pieces removed and washed separately.
Shocked, she added:
“I can’t imagine how long she’s been drinking mold. It makes me feel sick just thinking about it.” [1]
In a statement to Buzzfeed, Tommee Tippee explained:
“The results support that when used with recommended liquids (cold, light fluids including water and non-pulp juices) and cleaned in line with instructions, there are no problems. Difficulties have arisen though when liquids that are not recommended for use in the cups have been used, like thick formula milk, pulpy juice and warm liquids. We also recommend that cups are not left for long periods before being cleaned.” [2]
Photograph: Medical Daily
Greene said she had been putting milk in her daughter’s moldy sippy cup for about a year.
The first report of mold found in a Tommee Tippee cup emerged last month when 2 moms from Quebec, Canada, posted on Facebook about how a friend had cracked open the anti-leak beak of the cup in an effort to figure out why his son kept getting sick.
The posters didn’t specify what type of illness the boy was suffering from, but as reported by MedicineNet.com, prolonged mold exposure can cause allergic reactions such as wheezing, rash, watery eyes, runny nose, itchy eyes, coughing, and redness of the eyes. Mold has also been linked to asthma in children. [3]
Read: Is Mold in Your Home Making You Sick?
The mold isn’t just a problem in Tommee Sippee cups, however. NuspinKids recommends thoroughly cleaning sippy cups after every use to prevent mold buildup by disassembling the cup, washing it with soap and warm water, and making sure each part is completely dry before reassembly.
The problem with the Tommee Tippee cups is that the mold can’t be seen, and the part can’t be thoroughly cleaned, unless you break it open.
Tommee Tippee says it plans to make a new cup with a 2-piece valve. Until then, the company is making transparent see-through valves immediately available to concerned parents.
Anyone who would like to receive a see-through valve or alternative cup may contact the Careline toll-free at 1-877-248-6922.
The company also released a video showing how to properly clean their cups.
Sources:
[1] CNN
[2] The Huffington Post
[3] Medical Daily
Medical Daily