Modified Baby Milk—Bioelements Composition and Toxic Elements Contamination

Abstract

Breast milk has the most suitable composition for the proper development in the first year of a child’s life. However, it is often replaced with artificial milk. The aim of the study was to analyze the composition of essential elements: Na, K, Ca, P, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn as well as toxic elements: Ni, Pb, Sr, Li, and In in 18 formulas available in Poland. The daily supply was also estimated. The study was performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry method. The results showed the presence of all essential elements tested, but the content of P and Mn significantly differed from the concentrations declared. Such discrepancies can have significant impact on the daily dose of the bioelements taken. However, the content of elements was within the reference standards established by the EU Directive with exception of P, the amount of which exceeded the norms 5.23–18.80-times. Daily supply of P in tested milk as well as Fe and Mn provided with first and hypoallergenic formula exceeded the adequate intake. Analysis revealed the contamination with harmful elements—Pb, Sr, Li, and In were detected in almost all products. The study confirms the data concerning some discrepancies in composition and the contamination of food and may provide information on the feeding quality of children and estimation of health risk associated with exposure to toxic elements.

Occurrence and dietary exposure assessment of heavy metals in baby foods in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

“…Previous literature of Saudi Arabia, Italy, and Turkey (Table 5) has demonstrated the presence of Pb levels in baby food samples exceeding the EU and SFDA limits (Bargellini et al, 2018;Başaran, 2022;Khalifa & Ahmad, 2010). Nevertheless, our findings were higher compared to these reports and to Pb levels analyzed in Germany, United States, China, Spain, Poland, and Eygpt (Bae et al, 2002;Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung, 2018;Chen et al, 2017;Gardener et al, 2019;Ghuniem et al, 2020;Kumarathilaka et al, 2019;Mania et al, 2015;Maruszewska et al, 2021;Rahman & Hasegawa, 2011;Signes-Pastor et al, 2016;Škrbić et al, 2017;Su et al, 2020;U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2016;WHO, 2021b;Williams et al, 2007).…”

Concentrations of Lead and Arsenic in Mother’s Milk and Children’s Blood in Peruvian Breastfeeding Dyads

“…Moreover, researchers have reported that infant formula milk is not exempt from contamination. Contamination can occur in human milk substitutes during the process of fabrication, handling, or manufacturing, with harmful elements including lead, arsenic, lithium, indium, pharmaceutical residues, mycotoxins, or packing product (Martín-Carrasco et al, 2023; Maruszewska et al, 2021).…”

The Influence of the Lactation Period and the Type of Milk on the Content of Amino Acids and Minerals in Human Milk and Infant Formulas

“…Therefore, infant formulas available on the market are fortified with a much higher Ca content to ensure the adequate intake of this element by infants. According to issued directives, powdered infant formulas should contain between 50 and 140 mg Ca/100 kcal of product [36], and the infant formulas tested met this standard. Table 4.…”

“…Until now, it was considered that Mn was better absorbed from breast milk, but currently, there is no indication of large differences in the bioavailability of Mn in human milk and infant formulas [41]. Maruszewska [36] reports that the manufacturers' suggested daily serving of first-feeding (1) infant formulas covers 50% of Mn requirements. It is important to follow producers' recommendations for the preparation of infant formula milk, as infant exposure to high Mn content may be associated with adverse neurodevelopmental effects [7].…”