title: Vitamins A and E content of commercial infant foods in the UK: A cause for concern?
abstract: According to the European Food Safety Authority, currently, there are no reliable data or robust guidelines available in relation to the micronutrient composition of infant foods. This study evaluated the intake of vitamins A and E of infants from 'ready-to-feed' foods and formulas. Normal phase high performance liquid chromatography was employed for simultaneous quantification of retinyl acetate, retinyl palmitate, α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol, reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography for the quantification of β-carotene, and UV spectrophotometry for the quantification of carotenoids from selected infant food samples. Based on the results of this study, the estimated total daily intake of vitamin A (retinol equivalents) and vitamin E (α-tocopherol equivalents) from both infant food and formula milk exceed recommendations set by the UK Department of Health. This requires further analysis of risk of exposure, whilst a cause for concern over deficiency might arise when the intake of milk is compromised.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Greenwich, Medway Campus, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, UK.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Loughrill
authors.affiliation: Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Medway Campus, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, UK.
authors.forename: Pesila
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Govinden
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Greenwich, Medway Campus, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, UK. Electronic address: N.ZandFard@greenwich.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Nazanin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zand
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D004224:Diterpenes; D005526:Food, Formulated / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007225:Infant Food / Q000032:analysis*; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000032:analysis; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D006113:United Kingdom; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000032:analysis*; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000032:analysis*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004224:Diterpenes; D018977:Micronutrients; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; C014794:retinol palmitate; C009166:retinol acetate; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol
keywords: Commercial complementary foods; HPLC; Infants; Retinyl acetate, retinyl palmitate, β-carotene; Toxicity; Vitamin E, vitamin A and carotenoids; α-Tocopherol, γ-tocopherol