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[Iodine content of infant food in Austria]
W Buchinger1, W Langsteger, B Tiran
1Interne Abteilung, Krankenhaus der Barmherzigen Brüder, Graz.
Insights
Iodine is crucial for infant brain development. Many commercial baby formulas lack sufficient iodine, potentially impacting cognitive development in bottle-fed newborns.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Pediatric Health
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Adequate iodine intake is vital for normal intellectual development, particularly in premature infants and newborns.
- Iodine deficiency can have significant long-term consequences on cognitive function.
- Bottle-fed infants rely heavily on commercial formula for their nutritional needs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the iodine content in commercially available baby milk preparations.
- To determine if current iodine levels in formulas adequately support infant development.
- To identify potential strategies for improving iodine supply in bottle-fed infants.
Main Methods:
- A modified ceric arsenite reaction method was employed for iodine analysis.
- Twenty-three milk samples from four different manufacturers were analyzed.
- Iodine content was compared against recommendations from major nutritional bodies.
Main Results:
- A significant majority of the examined baby food milk preparations contained insufficient iodine levels.
- Only a small fraction of the tested products met the recommended iodine content standards.
- Commercial formulas do not consistently ensure adequate iodine supply for bottle-fed infants.
Conclusions:
- Commercial baby food milk preparations often lack adequate iodine, posing a risk to infant neurodevelopment.
- Recommendations include fortifying formula milk, using iodine-rich mineral water, or sourcing milk from cows fed iodinated salt.
- Improving iodine content in infant formulas is essential for the cerebral development of exclusively bottle-fed newborns.
Abstract:
An adequate iodine supplementation is essential for the normal and intellectual development in premature birth and in newborns. The ceric arsenite reaction method modified by the authors was applied to examine whether a sufficient iodine content in milk samples of four manufacturers ensured the iodine supply of bottlefed preterms and fullterms. Only very few of 23 preparations examined contained the required iodine content recommended by the Food and Drug Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Research Council of the United States, the European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, and the German Society of Nutrition. It could be demonstrated that the majority of the commercially available baby food-milk preparations contained insufficient quantities of iodine. To assure a sufficient iodine supply in this bottlefed group it would be necessary to add a varied quantity of iodine to formula milk or to prepare baby food with iodine containing mineral water. Moreover, manufacturers might use milk from cows fed with iodinated salt. The results show clearly that an improvement in iodine content of commercial baby food is essential for the cerebral development of solely bottlefed newborns.