Tritan Plastic Food Container vs. Borosilicate Glass Food Container

Tritan copolyester is Eastman Chemical's BPA-free plastic marketed as a safe alternative to polycarbonate. It does not contain BPA or BPS — both confirmed through third-party testing — and is widely used in water bottles, food containers, and children's products. For consumers switching from BPA-containing polycarbonate, Tritan is a genuine safety improvement.

However, research published in peer-reviewed journals has identified estrogenic activity in Tritan-derived leachates even after the BPA and BPS are removed — suggesting other compounds in the polymer may have hormonal effects. Eastman has contested this research, and the regulatory status of Tritan remains positive in the US and EU. The debate is ongoing, and unlike glass, the full leaching profile of Tritan under various conditions is not fully characterized.

Borosilicate glass is completely inert. It contains no BPA, no polymer additives, no plasticizers, and nothing migrates into food or water under any conditions. Glass's safety profile is not contested or subject to ongoing research — it is simply chemically stable. Tritan rates 'caution' not as a dangerous product, but because 'BPA-free' is not the same as 'leach-free.' Borosilicate glass rates 'best' because inert is truly inert.