Can Sippy Cups be Toxic?

In the process of cleaning Princess's sippy cup, I found this:

It's bacteria build up hidden inside the spout.  I nearly threw up in my mouth at the sight of it. I took these pics after the fifth wipe.  So, you can imagine how much of this black tar like substance was inside the lid.  Where the heck did this come from?

I called the pediatrician to find out if I should be concerned.  Princess is fine, but you never know if this thing could make her sick.  To my dismay, he knew nothing about it.  He did recommend that I get in touch with the manufacturer to find out more about this potentially toxic build up.  But, that didn't make sense to me.  Why would a company admit that their product causes harm?

I did my own digging and found nothing about dangerous bacteria like this found in sippy cups.  But I did find a site with helpful tips on how to clean them.

Consider it a friendly reminder for those of you who already wash your kiddo's sippy cup until it's squeaky clean.  For those who may have missed the boat, here's a quick lesson for ya.  No one wants their child to swallow muck.  So, we have to do our best to get the dirt out.

Sometimes the dishwasher can't remove all the crud from the spout.  When all else fails, just toss the darn thing and get a new one.  That's what I did.

How well do you wash your child's sippy cups?

Weather Anchor Mama