[Lead intake with food of young infants in the years 1980/81 (author's transl)].
Several studies related minimal cerebral dysfunction in children to environmental lead exposure. We calculated the lead intake of young infants based on measurements of the lead content in their food. There was no significant difference between the lead content of 13 samples of pooled breast milk (50.2 +/- 22.5 micrograms/l), 11 samples of adapted and followup formulas (67.4 +/- 9.9 micrograms/l) and 9 samples of cow milk (59.5 +/- 22.5 micrograms/l). In fruits, commercially prepared strained fruits and juices lead concentrations were between 18.7 and 123.6 micrograms/kg. Based on the mean concentration of all products we calculated the average lead content in an infant's fruit or juice dinner to be 67 micrograms/kg. In plain and creamed vegetables lead concentrations were between 98.2 and 204.0 micrograms/kg, with the highest lead content in potatoes, spinach and carrots. The average lead content in an infant's plain or creamed vegetable dinner was 117 micrograms/kg. The lead intake over the first 6 months of life was calculated from the above-mentioned data and the average amount of food consumed per day. It was found to be below the maximum daily permissible intake from all sources. However, especially after introduction of mixed feeding (vegetables!) at the age of 4 months, the daily lead intake was close to the tolerance limit. There was no evidence of lead contamination during production of commercially-prepared baby food. Environmental contamination seems to be the main reason for the high lead content in infant food, especially in vegetables.
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005638:Fruit / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food / Q000032:analysis*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000209:etiology*; D008892:Milk / Q000032:analysis; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000032:analysis; D014675:Vegetables / Q000032:analysis
Die bleibelastung des jungen Säuglings mit der nahrung in den Jahren 1980/81.