Occurrence and infant exposure assessment of nitrates in baby foods marketed in the region of Lisbon, Portugal.
Commercial baby food labelled as from organic or conventional origin, including vegetable-based baby foods, fruit purees and fruit juices (n = 80), were analysed for nitrate content by an in-house validated HPLC method. Nitrate contents ranged from 5 to 230 mg kg(-1) with a mean concentration of 102 mg kg(-1) for vegetable-based baby foods, and a median of 5 mg kg(-1) for both fruit purees and juices. One sample of vegetable-based baby food was higher than the legislated value (200 mg kg(-1)). There were no significant differences between average nitrate levels in analysed samples regarding both farming systems. The estimated nitrate intake through baby foods for a mean nitrate concentration of 47 mg kg(-1) ranged between 0.5 (15% of ADI) and 1.3 mg kg(-1) bw day(-1) (35% of ADI). The ADI level was exceeded (107-146% of ADI) only for the 95th and 99th percentiles of nitrate concentration.
a National Health Institute Dr. Ricardo Jorge, Food and Nutrition Department , Lisbon , Portugal.
Elsa Reis
ER
Vasco
Paula Cristina
PC
Alvito
D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D058870:Food, Organic / Q000032:analysis; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food / Q000032:analysis*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis*; D011174:Portugal; D012307:Risk Factors; D014675:Vegetables
D009566:Nitrates
baby food; nitrate; organic foods