Melbourne, Oct 22 : A new US study has linked chemicals found in everyday plastic products like babies' bottles to breast cancer.

Dr Maricel Maffini, a biologist specialising in environmental causes of breast cancer, has cautioned people against microwaving food in plastic containers.

Dr Maffini also raised concerns about chemicals in canned food.

Her research found a link between bisphenol A, which increases exposure to oestrogen which lifts the risk of breast cancer.

"The problem is these bottles leach bisphenol A, so you are constantly drinking a low level of bisphenol A," Stuff.co.nz quoted her, as telling the Sunday Star-Times.

"The main argument of companies that produce the plastic bottles is the levels are so low, they are harmless but the exposure is chronic.

"There's a lot of very convincing data that even low doses can start a tremendous effect later in life,” she said.

She also has concerns about bisphenol A leaching from plastic baby bottles and recommends mums breastfeed or use glass bottles

“High temperatures and detergents used to sterilise baby bottles increase the leaching of bisphenol A,” she said.

Food Safety Authority spokesman Gary Bowering said ESR research has shown that local foods had less or comparable levels of bisphenol A as those overseas.

Bowering said the ESR research, carried out in 2004, did not cover bottled water, but did cover soft drinks, which have higher acidity and were more likely to be harsher on containers.

"This would suggest bottled water is of even less concern," he said. (ANI)