A comparison of daily fluoride intakes from food samples in Japan and Brazil

The purpose of this study was to analyse the fluoride content of Japanese infant foods and foods in Brazil and to estimate daily fluoride intake calculated for a 6-month-old infant which reflects supplemental fluoride increased from infant foods and decreasing breast-feeding and commercial milk-feeding. Fluoride concentrations of 26 samples were assessed by a modified microdiffusion method and fluoride ion selective electrode. The fluoride content varied from 0.53 to 1.33 microgram/g for milk-base formulas, from 0.46 to 2.94 micrograms/g for infant foods in Japan, and from 0.06 to 0.25 microgram/g for foods in Brazil. The daily fluoride intake was calculated according to feeding pattern. The minimum and maximum fluoride values were 0.080 mg/day and 0.248 mg/day, respectively. These fluoride intakes, expressed in milligrams per kg of fluoride intake, ranged from 0.010 to 0.033 mg F/kg body weight. No significant differences in fluoride intake values were found between Japanese infant foods and foods in Brazil. The results of this study indicate that daily fluoride intakes of Japanese infant foods and foods in Brazil could be considered within the optimal recommended level.