COT statement on a survey of metals in infant food

Overview

The UK Committee on Toxicity reviewed an FSA survey of 189 commercial infant-food and formula samples. The survey covered infant formulae, manufactured baby foods, desserts, rusks, and infant drinks, and estimated infant dietary exposure by age band and diet scenario. The analytical method measured total metals only, so arsenic, chromium, and mercury species are not substituted for inorganic arsenic (iAs), Cr(VI), or methylmercury (MeHg).

Key numbers

• Sample frame: 189 commercial baby-food samples were analysed; the survey covered products on sale in the UK from March 2001 to July 2002.
• Method scope: ICP-MS measured total concentrations and did not determine individual species of each metal.
• Mercury occurrence: infant-food mercury mean/range was 3 µg/kg, range <0.5 - 20, compared with the previous survey’s 1.4 µg/kg, range <0.3 - 10.
• Fish-containing meals: the current survey had 7 fish-containing foods out of 189, compared with 2 out of 97 in the previous survey; COT states fish-containing meals provided only a minor contribution to the overall mean mercury concentration.
• Soy formula: average concentrations were higher in soya formula than in cows’ milk formula except for mercury, especially nickel and aluminum, where concentrations were 2 to 3 times higher.
• Aluminum exposure from manufacturers’ consumption guidelines: normal diet 14, 142, 175, and 177 µg/kg bw/day for ages 0-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12 months; soya diet 82, 242, 222, and 218.
• Total arsenic exposure: normal diet 0.09, 1.3, 1.8, and 1.8 µg/kg bw/day; soya diet 0.18, 1.6, 2.0, and 1.9. The statement notes the highest arsenic levels were in fish-containing dishes and were likely predominantly organic arsenic.
• Cadmium exposure: normal diet 0.04, 0.35, 0.61, and 0.64 µg/kg bw/day; soya diet 0.22, 0.57, 0.68, and 0.72.
• Lead exposure: normal diet 0.08, 0.37, 0.51, and 0.52 µg/kg bw/day; soya diet 0.22, 0.56, 0.59, and 0.61.
• Total mercury exposure: normal diet 0.07, 0.18, 0.18, and 0.19 µg/kg bw/day; soya diet 0.07, 0.19, 0.19, and 0.20.
• Nickel exposure: normal diet 0.7, 4.2, 5.8, and 5.9 µg/kg bw/day; soya diet 4.2, 8.4, 7.6, and 7.9.
• Tin exposure: normal diet 0.57, 4.6, 18.6, and 18.5 µg/kg bw/day; soya diet 0.62, 4.7, 19.7, and 20.1.
• Water context: at the then-permitted inorganic-arsenic drinking-water level of 50 µg/L, water used to reconstitute formula could contribute 3 to 5 µg/kg bw/day; at 10 µg/L, the potential contribution could be 0.6 to 1 µg/kg bw/day.

Methods (brief)

FSA analysed infant formulae, manufactured baby foods, desserts, rusks, and infant drinks by ICP-MS. Exposure scenarios used older NDNS consumption data, an SCF high-consumer food-consumption figure, and manufacturers’ feeding guidelines. The COT considered the feeding-guideline approach a worst-case scenario; water used to reconstitute formula or dried foods was not included in the survey exposure estimates.

Related evidence

• Infant Food General
• Baby Food
• Infant Formula Powder
• Infant Formula, Powder (Soy-Based)
• Infant Cereal
• Infant Juice
• Fish-Containing Baby Foods
• Arsenic, Total
• Cadmium
• Lead
• Mercury, Total
• Nickel
• Tin

Update history

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