All about NUK Quality
From Germany out into the whole wide world.
All teats and baby bottles are produced in Germany and this site, just like all the other production sites worldwide, is subject to the highest quality standards. We keep a close eye on everything, from the source of the raw materials up to the packaging, and, in Germany, we undergo frequent stringent checks by the independent Fresenius Institute. Our certified quality products are very popular with mothers and have made NUK a standard in most German hospitals.
Already at the product development stage, NUK makes sure that not only consumer preference is taken into consideration, but all the relevant quality standards as well. In our choice of materials, we ensure that we comply with national as well as international quality standards; only the safest raw materials are used. For example, we have developed a new, firmer silicone for soothers in the size 18 to 36 months that is safer for children with their first teeth. Using an established test procedure for our materials we choose only the best suppliers, who undertake to meet our high quality standards.
Assembly robots and cameras monitor the whole production process, where, for example, the tensile strength and the reliability of the assembled parts of every single soother is checked. The measurements obtained exceed the required norms. A separate department continually develops and improves these test procedures. But it is not only machines that check the flawless quality of the NUK Products at various quality control stations in the factory, employees also rely on their trained eyes and their experience at such checkpoints.
NUK is continuously investing in the checking and improvement of product quality. But it is not only our own laboratory that tests the NUK Products directly on site; the independent Fresenius Institute monitors them as well. The requirements for this “seal of approval” exceed the statutory and regulatory guidelines. The TÜV (German Technical Control Board) also comes round regularly – twice a year it checks NUK’s authorisation, because the origins of the NUK brand are as a manufacturer of medical products for which a licence is required. The high standard that applies to medical products also applies to all other NUK Products. All of these measures mean that NUK can produce today to the quality standards of tomorrow.
NUK Products have to meet a great many standards. Not only is achieving these standards extremely important to NUK, but also knowing exactly which ones have to be met to help the natural development of children. That is why NUK has a seat on the standards committees: to bring its own high standards for safe baby products to the table and to adapt them to state-of-the-art technology. Right from the start, NUK Products are developed so that they not only satisfy German safety criteria but also meet the statutory regulations of the many countries where they are available.
The environment also plays an important role for NUK – environmental impact and work safety are constantly being checked. In the process, environmental awareness is never put before the well-being of the children. That is why, at NUK, we do not use recycled materials as this is the only way to ensure all-out product safety.
Research and Development for new and better products
From the first teat suited to the jaw to the bottle cleanser.
Since the development of the first teat that is right for the jaw 60 years ago, NUK has dedicated itself to the well-being of children. Over this period, countless innovative products ensued that help the healthy development of children and make the daily routines of parents easier. For example, the NUK Bottle Cleanser, which, with the help of enzymes, breaks down milk proteins and makes baby bottles and teats much cleaner - just right for babies.
Our own large research and development department works every day on improving NUK Products and to developing new, practical and helpful products for households with children. Everyone at NUK plays a part in this: internal employees, independent experts such as scientists, midwives and doctors as well as innovators and consumers - all are brought in to generate ideas.
NUK knows and tests all the innovations on the materials and manufacturing technologies’ markets and integrates them into its product development and production. It is particularly important to know of any developments in materials for this. For example, NUK is now able to offer teats made from a latex which is free from detectable latex allergens and so it does not cause allergies. The high safety standards of NUK Products mean that the development of a new product can sometimes take longer because, during the processing of a material, a raw material has to mature or the search continues until the right material is available.
Special simulation procedures are also used in order to offer the best possible products. For example, during the drinking simulation, which was developed by NUK, the pressure of the teat vents can be reliably measured and compared. The results of this simulation are used as the basis for further studies that ultimately lead to product improvements such as the new NUK First Choice+ System.
Lastly, regular studies continually scrutinise the NUK Products and their effects on children. New technologies and research findings are then applied to any issues that arise and subsequent improvements entered into the production process.
NUK Studies
Every study helps us become even better.
For as long as NUK is around, scientists will test NUK Products and their effects on the development of babies. Their results are put into practice every single day. They help to further optimise tried and tested products and to develop new ones – according to the latest scientific findings primarily from medicine and developmental psychology.
NUK is mentioned in the following published studies and papers which can be downloaded here:
"Pacifiers: the right shape is crucial", Pharmawissen aktuell, 2022 - Link to PDF Publication..
Hess, C.: Neue Erkenntnisse zu Beruhigungssaugern: Schnuller befriedigen natürliches Saugbedürfnis. Kinder- und Jugendarzt 11/2010; 759 - 760
Download the publication as a PDF file...
Moral, A. et al.: Mechanics of sucking: comparison between bottle feeding and breastfeeding. BMC Pediatrics 2010; 10:6
Herrmann, C.: Orthodontischer Flaschensauger: Eine Studienübersicht – Hintergrund, Daten, Fakten und Ergebnisse zum NUK-System. Co-Med 2010; 1: 53 – 55 - Download the publication as a PDF file...
Hess, C.: Entscheidend ist die Form: Rolle von Flaschensaugern bei der Kiefer- und Mundraumentwicklung. Kinder- und Jugendmedizin 2009; 5: 300 – 301 - Download the publication as a PDF file...
Arsenina, O.: Studying of sucking behaviour at healthy babies at natural and artificial feeding with use of NUK teats. Russian Journal of Orthodontics 2006; 35: 14 – 16 Study on sucking behaviour of healthy babies both naturally and using NUK teats. Download the publication as a PDF file...