Detection, Risk Assessment, and Survey of Four Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Markers in Infant Formula Powder

Abstract

A gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) method was developed to assess the infant exposure assessment from four important polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) markers in infant formula powder: benzo[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo [b] fluoranthene, and benzo[a]pyrene (collectively referred to as PAH4). e developed method required the addition of an isotopically labeled internal standard, sample extraction under alkali conditions, a saponification step, and a solid-phase extraction purification step. In a controlled spike test, the average recovery rates of PAH4 were 77.3% to 111.8% and the relative standard deviations were 4.8% to 14.2% (n = 6). e quantitative limit (LOQ) and detection limit (LOD) of the method were 0.5 and 0.1 μg·kg − 1 , respectively. e PAH4 content was analyzed in 30 commercially available infant formula powders. e PAH4 content was found to be in the range of 0.1 to 0.87 μg·kg − 1 . Combined with the daily intake of infant milk powder in China, the average and maximum daily exposure of BaP for stage-1 infants in China are 0.45 ng/kg.bw.d − 1 and 1.9 ng/kg.bw.d − 1 and the PAH4 values are 8.6 ng/kg.bw.d − 1 and 18.6 ng/kg.bw.d − 1 , respectively. e PAH4 content in the tested infant formula powders sold in the China were sufficiently low, and all of the tested products were safe for consumption.

Measurement of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Baby Food Samples in Tehran, Iran With Magnetic-Solid-Phase-Extraction and Gas-Chromatography/Mass-Spectrometry Method: A Health Risk Assessment

“…Soceanu et al measured 15 PAH compounds in baby food samples and reported that the mean level of total PAHs ranged from 2.52 ± 0.22 to 6.7 ± 0.375 µg/kg (that was higher than our outcomes) and the mean level of BaP was varied from <0.01 to 0.26 ± 0.00 µg/kg that was somewhat similar to our results (17). Cai et al measured four PAHs in infant formula powders and reported that the PAH4 level was detected to be in the variety of 0.1-0.87 µg/kg (mean level 0.4 µg/kg) that was somewhat similar to our findings, and also, the mean level of BaP was 0.021 µg/kg (varied from <0.1 to 0.09 µg/kg) that was lower than these findings (19). Ciecierska et al measured 19 PAHs in baby food samples and reported that the mean level of PAHs was varied from 0.28 ± 0.04 to 7.45 ± 0.82 µg/kg (that were higher than our findings), and the mean level of BaP was ranged from nd to 0.25 ± 0.06 µg/kg that was similar to our results (21).…”

“…In similar studies in Italy, Santonicola showed that carcinogenic risk due to PAHs in milk and baby food samples based on meat/fish was a potential concern for baby health ( 22 ). In China, Cai et al ( 19 ) showed that the risk assessment for dietary exposure to contamination of PAHs due to the ingestion of foreign and domestic powders of infant formula presented low-risk levels for consumption ( 19 ).…”

“…In recent years, cereal-based baby food has become a key part of a baby's daily diet. Regardless of cultural or religious concerns, baby meals and formulas have a high priority in strategies aiming at promoting good child health (16)(17)(18)(19)(20). Therefore, due to the weakness of the child's immune system, it is necessary for the food used by this group to be constantly examined and evaluated for contaminants in order to pose a lower risk to them (16,17,21,22).…”

Reduction strategies for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in processed foods

“…As a result, PAHs contamination is very common in fat-rich foods such as meat, oil, fish (e.g., salmon), and in infant formula powder, etc. (Ahmad Kamal et al, 2018;Cai et al, 2020;Lee, Suh et al, 2019;Viegas et al, 2012).…”

Determination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Traditional Chinese Medicine Raw Material, Extracts, and Health Food Products

“…The SPE columns used for purification include Florisil, EUPAH SPE (styrene-divinylbenzene polymer), n -propyl ethylenediamine (PSA), SDB (styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer), silica, aminopropyl, C 18 SPE columns, and others [ 8 , 9 , 11 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Usually, the columns alone were used for PAHs purification after liquid solvent extraction, but there are also combinations using GPC and SPE clean-up for cleaning impurities before analysis of vegetable oil samples [ 22 ], or other clean-up combinations of PRS (propylsulphonic acid) SPE and silica cartridge for beef meat [ 23 ], C 18 and PSA for dry fermented sausage [ 24 ], animal-based smoked foods [ 25 ], salmon, shrimps and other samples [ 26 ].…”