Overview
The authors measured 22 elements in goat milk, whey, three cheese types and yogurt from an ecological farm (Orava region) and a conventional farm (Stredne Povazi region) in Slovakia. Both farms come from areas classified as potentially undisturbed environments. The finding of practical relevance for the Heavy Metal Index is that toxic elements were present at trace amounts or below the limit of detection in all samples from both farming systems.
Key numbers
All toxic element concentrations in goat whey, as reported in Table 1 (mg/kg fresh weight):
| Element | Ecological farm whey (n=11) | Conventional farm whey (n=3) |
|---|---|---|
| Lead | <0.0008 (all ND) | <0.0008 (all ND) |
| Cadmium | <0.00005 (all ND) | <0.00005 (all ND) |
| Arsenic | <0.0015 (all ND) | <0.0015 (all ND) |
| Nickel | <0.0003 (all ND) | <0.0003 (all ND) |
| Chromium | <0.00015 (all ND) | <0.00015 (all ND) |
| Silver | <0.0003 (all ND) | <0.0003 (all ND) |
| Cobalt | <0.0002 (all ND) | <0.0002 (all ND) |
| Molybdenum | <0.0005 (all ND) | <0.0005 (all ND) |
ND = not detected, below the stated limit of detection. Values in mg/kg correspond to µg/g (1000 µg/kg).
LODs (Table 1 header): lead (Pb) 0.0008 mg/kg (800 µg/kg), cadmium (Cd) 0.00005 mg/kg (50 µg/kg), arsenic (As) 0.0015 mg/kg (1500 µg/kg), nickel (Ni) 0.0003 mg/kg (300 µg/kg), chromium (Cr) 0.00015 mg/kg (150 µg/kg).
For comparison, cadmium in milk from Czech Republic studies cited by the authors was between 0.001 and 0.003 mg/kg; lead was in the range 0.02 to 0.04 mg/kg. The authors note that lead and cadmium concentrations in sheep milk are generally higher than in cow and goat milk, attributing this to association with the casein protein fraction.
Goat whey contained iron at 1.30 +/- 0.44 mg/kg (ecological) and 1.431 +/- 0.118 mg/kg (conventional); barium at 0.03 +/- 0.04 mg/kg (ecological only); antimony below detection limit in ecological farm but 0.14 +/- 0.04 mg/kg in conventional farm whey.
Methods (brief)
Samples homogenized, weighed (1.0 to 2.0 g), digested with nitric acid using an Ethos microwave system, diluted with ultrapure water and measured by ICP-MS. Twenty-two elements measured. No specific reference material or recovery percentage stated in the accessible text; the Slovak University of Agriculture analytical laboratory is accredited.
Evidence Fitness
Non-contaminated area, non-impacted farms. Lead and arsenic LODs are relatively high (Pb 800 µg/kg, As 1500 µg/kg) compared to typical whey concentrations, so the non-detects constrain only the upper end. The cadmium LOD (50 µg/kg) is comparable to literature values for clean goat dairy. Sample count for the conventional farm whey is small (n=3). The study is a useful reference point for undisturbed-area ecological and conventional goat farming in central Europe.
Related evidence
- Whey
- Milk and Dairy
- Liquid milk — goat / sheep / other ruminant
- Lead
- Cadmium
- Arsenic
- Toxic Elements in Sheep Milk, Whey, and Cheese from the Environmentally Burdened Area in Eastern Slovakia and Health Risk Assessment with Different Scenarios of Their Consumption
Update history
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