The UK Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) has now published its (delayed) 2017 annual report, including an Addendum addressing the question of PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl esters one family of brominated flame retardants and their derivatives) in the diet of infants and young children (up to age 5). This extends a 2015 COT statement on PBDEs in diets of infants aged up to 12 months. The 2017 report states that most uses of PBDEs have been phased out by international bans and regulations, however “some PBDE congeners are especially persistent in the environment”. It concludes that exposure from PBDEs in commercial infant foods and formulas is unlikely to be a health concern, but indicates a potential concern for exposure to some PBDE congeners in breast milk, dust and soil and recommends further research to verify that levels in breast milk and food are declining as expected.
UK Committees on Toxicity, Mutagenicity, Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products Committee joint annual reports https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/committee-on-toxicity-of-chemicals-in-food-consumer-products-and-the-environment-annual-report