Nutritional and microbial quality of selected commercially available powdered infant formula during the Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

Recently, there has been a shortage of baby formula due to the COVID-19-related supply chain, unsanitary conditions, and contamination in the manufacturing company. There is genuine concern that contaminated baby formulas may have been inadvertently imported worldwide. For this purpose, five commercially available infant formulas were selected and coded as IF1, IF2, IF3, IF4, and IF5. Physicochemical, nutritional compositions, toxic element (Pb), microbial content, and identification of isolates in the infant formula were determined using standard methods. The pH and total titratable acidity ranged from 6.50±0.00 to 6.90±0.0 and 0.05±0.01 to 0.07±0.00 %, respectively. Moisture, ash, and protein ranged from 2.4±0.1 to 8.00±0.3 %; 1.9±0.01 to 2.7±0.4 %; 1.8±0.0 to 3.8±0.3 %, respectively. Crude fat ranged from 22.0±0.0 to 28.30±0.0 %, and fibre was not detected. Toxic element Pb was detected in all the samples, ranging from 1.2±0.1 to 13.51±0.9 mg/kg. Microbial counts ranged from 2.0×10 to 8.0×104 CFU/g for total viable, enterobacteriaceae 3.0×104 to 13.5×105 CFU/g; staphylococcal 5×103 to 1.0×104 CFU/g and fungal 1.1×10 to 2.4×105 CFU/g. Although the standard is that no pathogen should be in infant formula, several were identified including Klebsiella spp., Escherichia spp., and Staphylococcus spp. In conclusion, the nutritional composition obtained correlated with the product description. Manufacturers should work assiduously on taking steps to ensure the safety of their products by limiting the level of toxic elements and microbial contaminants which negatively affect the health of infants.