Survey of lead, cadmium, cobalt and nickel in infant formulas and evaporated milks and estimation of dietary intakes of the elements by infants 0-12 months old.
Lead, cadmium, cobalt and nickel were determined in 282 infant formulas and evaporated milks using a graphite-furnace atomic absorption coprecipitation method capable of determining background levels in all samples. On an "as sold" basis, lead in ready-to-use (RTU), concentrated liquid, and powder formulas averaged 1.6, 3.7 and 12.6 ng g-1, respectively. Evaporated (evap.) milks in lead-free and lead-soldered cans contained 2.8 and 95 ng g-1, respectively. Average concentrations of cadmium, cobalt and nickel in evap. milk, milk-based RTU formulas and soy-based RTU formulas were: Cd, 0.38, 0.35 and 3.39 ng g-1; Co, 0.89, 0.46 and 2.79 ng g-1; and Ni, 4.7, 6.0 and 63.7 ng g-1, respectively. In milk-based formulas, cobalt and nickel concentrations were statistically higher in those fortified with iron. Dietary intakes of lead, cadmium, cobalt and nickel by 0-12-month-old infants from food and water used to dilute concentrated foods averaged 1.81 micrograms per kilogram body weight per day (micrograms kg-1 day-1) (13.2 micrograms day-1), 0.44 micrograms kg-1 day-1 (3.5 micrograms day-1), 0.52 micrograms kg-1 day-1 (3.93 micrograms day-1), and 5.0 micrograms kg-1 day-1 (38.2 micrograms day-1), respectively. Lead and cadmium intakes were below the respective FAO/WHO provisional tolerable daily intakes (PTDI) of 3.6 and 0.96-1.2 micrograms kg-1 day-1, except the lead intake of 6 micrograms kg-1 day-1 by infants fed evap. milk stored in lead-soldered cans.
Dabeka
R W
RW
Food Research Division, Health and Welfare Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis; D003035:Cobalt / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis; D004435:Eating; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005519:Food Preservation; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food / Q000032:analysis*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007854:Lead / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis; D008670:Metals / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis*; D008892:Milk / Q000032:analysis*; D009532:Nickel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis
D008670:Metals; D002104:Cadmium; D014867:Water; D007854:Lead; D003035:Cobalt; D009532:Nickel