Trace elements in starter infant formula: dietary intake and safety assessment

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Pediatric Nutrition

Background:

• Infant formulas are a primary nutrition source for infants (0-6 months).
• Trace element content in formulas is critical for infant health and development.
• Assessing both essential and toxic elements ensures product safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify essential (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Se) and toxic (Cr, Cd, Ni, Pb) elements in Italian infant formulas.
• To conduct a safety assessment by comparing estimated daily intake (EDI) with adequate intake (AI) and provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI).
• To inform about metal distribution and potential health risks for infants.

Main Methods:

• Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used for elemental analysis.
• Microwave digestion was employed for sample preparation.
• Estimated daily intake (EDI) was calculated and compared against established AI and PTDI values.

Main Results:

• Essential elements (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Se) were within legal limits.
• Mean EDIs for Fe and Mn significantly exceeded the AI, particularly for Mn.
• Non-essential/toxic elements (Cr, Ni, Cd, Pb) were often below detection limits, with EDIs well below PTDI, though Cd approached PTDI at the 75th percentile.

Conclusions:

• Current fortification levels for Mn and Fe in infant formulas may be excessive, posing potential risks.
• Urgent scientific-based recommendations for appropriate fortification levels are needed.
• Continuous monitoring throughout infant formula production is crucial to prevent toxic metal contamination.