Chuchu et al. 2013 — Aluminium In Infant Formulas
Summary
This follow-up study measured aluminum in 30 infant formula products, including 10 ready-to-drink milks and 20 powdered formulas. It is useful for Category 1 because it extends the earlier Burrell and Exley infant-formula aluminum survey and separates ready-to-drink, non-soy powder, and soy powder evidence.
Key numbers
- Aluminum concentrations across all non-soy milk products ranged from about 100 to 430 ug/L.
- Two soy-based milk products had reported aluminum concentrations of 656 and 756 ug/L.
- Estimated daily aluminum intake from non-soy formulas ranged from about 100 to 300 ug/day.
- Estimated daily aluminum intake from soy-based formulas could be as high as 700 ug/day.
Category 1 concentration rows
These rows summarize the source at product-format level. The paper reports named commercial products, but public Index pages use these values as source-scope occurrence evidence rather than brand rankings.
| Source table | Category 1 fit | N products | Basis | Al mean / range | Max / p100 in source scope | Row-fit note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Table 1 ready-to-drink milks | infant-formula-rtf-liquid-non-soy | 10 | ready-to-drink liquid formula | product means 155 to 422 ug/L | 422 ug/L mean | Ready-to-drink products are not soy-based in the pasted source text; includes toddler/growing-up products. |
| Table 2 non-soy powders | infant-formula-powder-non-soy | 18 | powder converted by manufacturer instructions | prepared estimates approximately 106 to 411 ug/L | 411 ug/L prepared estimate | Powder products are formula-format evidence but not p90; includes first, follow-on, specialty, and growing-up products. |
| Table 2 soy powders | infant-formula-powder-soy-based | 2 | powder converted by manufacturer instructions | prepared estimates 656 to 756 ug/L | 756 ug/L prepared estimate | Direct soy-powder evidence, but N=2 and not a percentile distribution. |
| Tables 1-2 daily intake | Formula exposure context | 30 | manufacturer feeding volumes | non-soy approximately 64 to 350 ug Al/day; soy up to 725 ug Al/day | 725 ug Al/day | Exposure estimate, not product-concentration evidence. |
Ingredient, packaging, and process signals
The study identifies soy-based formulas as the highest-aluminum powder products in the 2013 survey and discusses aluminum-based packaging as a plausible contamination route for both ready-to-drink liquids and powders. It also notes that non-packaging contamination may come from formula ingredients and processing. These signals map to soy, infant-formula-ingredients, milk-and-dairy, and aluminum-based-packaging.
Methods (brief)
The study purchased 30 infant formulas off the shelf and measured aluminum in 10 ready-to-drink products and 20 powdered products. Samples were digested with nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide and analyzed by transversely heated graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.
Limitations
This is a product survey with brand-specific values; public wiki use should remain category- and format-focused. It does not measure Pb, Cd, arsenic, mercury, hexavalent chromium, or tin. It does not report p10, p50, p90, or p95.
Implications
Certification: Useful for the aluminum evidence pool for formula categories, especially soy-based formula.
Courses: Useful example of repeat evidence over time and the need to separate format from brand.
App: Supports product-format and soy-ingredient risk signals for formula.
Microbiome: No direct microbiome endpoint.