Almeida 2022 — Toxic Metals And Metalloids In Brazilian Infant Formulas
Summary
This peer-reviewed study measured aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, tin, mercury, lead, and uranium in phase 1 and phase 2 cow milk-based infant formulas marketed in Brazil. It is relevant to the formula-powder rows because it reports product-level concentrations in mg/kg, but it excludes soy/rice/wheat formulas and does not separate HMTc non-soy subtypes beyond cow-milk formula.
Study Scope
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Product matrix | Cow milk-based phase 1 and phase 2 infant formulas |
| Market | Brazil |
| Excluded formula types | Soy, rice, and wheat protein formulas |
| Analytical method | ICP-MS after digestion |
| Replication | Three batches of each formula; quintuplicate analytical measurements |
| Unit conversion | 1 mg/kg = 1000 ppb |
Measured Formula Findings
| Analyte | Reported concentration | Approximate ppb equivalent | Detection note | Product-row relevance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | 0.432 to 1.241 mg/kg | 432 to 1241 ppb | Quantified range | Directly useful for cow milk-based formula powder; market-specific to Brazil. |
| Total arsenic | 0.012 to 0.034 mg/kg | 12 to 34 ppb | Quantified range | Total arsenic only; inorganic arsenic not separately reported. |
| Cadmium | Below LOQ to 0.008 mg/kg; quantified means commonly 0.004 to 0.008 mg/kg | Up to 8 ppb; approximately 4 to 8 ppb where quantified | Some samples below LOQ | Useful formula-powder evidence, but censored values must be handled explicitly. |
| Tin | 0.007 to 0.095 mg/kg | 7 to 95 ppb | Quantified range | Relevant because tin is part of the HMTc testing panel. |
| Total mercury | Not detected or below LOQ | Below method LOQ | Not quantified in formula samples | Total mercury only; methylmercury not measured. |
| Lead | Mostly not detected; quantified product means included 0.011, 0.016, 0.023, and 0.036 mg/kg | 11, 16, 23, and 36 ppb where quantified | Most samples not detected | Useful for product-level lead occurrence, but not a full distribution. |
| Uranium | Not summarized into product-page tables in this pass | Not summarized | Study included uranium | Not part of the current HMTc heavy-metal standards panel. |
Detection Limits Reported
| Analyte | LOD | LOQ |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | Not listed in current extraction note | 0.430 mg/kg |
| Total arsenic | Not listed in current extraction note | 0.011 mg/kg |
| Cadmium | Not listed in current extraction note | 0.002 mg/kg |
| Tin | Not listed in current extraction note | 0.005 mg/kg |
| Total mercury | 0.003 mg/kg | 0.011 mg/kg |
| Lead | 0.003 mg/kg | 0.010 mg/kg |
| Uranium | 0.0004 mg/kg | 0.001 mg/kg |
Methods (brief)
Three batches of each infant formula were analyzed, with quintuplicate analytical measurements. Toxic metals and metalloids were measured by ICP-MS. Values are reported as mg/kg and converted to ppb here using 1 mg/kg = 1000 ppb.
Limitations
The study excludes soy, rice, and wheat formulas. Arsenic is total arsenic, mercury is total mercury, and chromium/nickel are not part of this study’s reported toxic-element panel. Values are market-specific to Brazil.
Implications
- Certification: Useful A-tier formula-powder concentration evidence for Al, tAs, Cd, Sn, Pb, tHg, and U.
- Courses: Useful example of why formula evidence must preserve formula type and market scope.
- App: Supports broad formula risk evidence; should not be generalized to soy formula.
- Microbiome: No direct microbiome endpoint.