Perchlorate exposure from infant formula and comparisons with the perchlorate reference dose.
Perchlorate exposure may be higher in infants compared with older persons, due to diet (infant formula) and body weight versus intake considerations. Our primary objective was to quantitatively assess perchlorate concentrations in commercially available powdered infant formulas (PIFs). Secondary objectives were: (1) to estimate exposure in infants under different dosing scenarios and compare them with the perchlorate reference dose (RfD); (2) estimate the perchlorate concentration in water used for preparing PIFs that would result in a dose exceeding the RfD; and (3) estimate iodine intakes from PIFs. We quantified perchlorate levels in three samples (different lot numbers) of reconstituted PIF (using perchlorate-free water) from commercial brands of PIF in each of the following categories: bovine milk-based with lactose, soy-based, bovine milk-based but lactose-free, and elemental (typically consisting of synthetic amino acids). Exposure modeling was conducted to determine whether the RfD might be exceeded in 48 dosing scenarios that were dependent on age, centile energy intake per unit of body weight, body weight percentile, and PIF perchlorate concentration. We obtained three different samples in each of the five brands of bovine- and soy-based PIF, three different samples in each of the three brands of lactose-free PIF, and three different samples in two brands of elemental PIF. The results were as follows: bovine milk-based with lactose (1.72 microg/l, range: 0.68-5.05); soy-based (0.21 microg/l, range: 0.10-0.44); lactose-free (0.27 microg/l, range: 0.03-0.93); and elemental (0.18 microg/l, range: 0.08-0.4). Bovine milk-based PIFs with lactose had a significantly higher concentration of perchlorate (P<0.05) compared with all. Perchlorate was a contaminant of all commercially available PIFs tested. Bovine milk-based PIFs with lactose had a significantly higher perchlorate concentration perchlorate than soy, lactose-free, and elemental PIFs. The perchlorate RfD may be exceeded when certain bovine milk-based PIFs are ingested and/or when PIFs are reconstituted with perchlorate-contaminated water.
Schier
Joshua G
JG
Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA. jschier@cdc.gov
Wolkin
Amy F
AF
Valentin-Blasini
Lisa
L
Belson
Martin G
MG
Kieszak
Stephanie M
SM
Rubin
Carol S
CS
Blount
Benjamin C
BC
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002417:Cattle; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D041943:Infant Formula / Q000737:chemistry*; D007785:Lactose / Q000032:analysis; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry; D019055:No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level; D010472:Perchlorates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D012016:Reference Values; D018570:Risk Assessment; D041942:Soy Milk / Q000737:chemistry
D010472:Perchlorates; D007785:Lactose; C494474:perchlorate