Overview
This study used X-ray fluorescence to measure potassium, calcium, chlorine, phosphorus and aluminum in seven retail milk powders sold in Romania. Despite the title, it reports no lead, cadmium, arsenic or mercury. The authors report aluminum above their chosen limit in every product.
Key numbers
- Aluminum: 3,090 ± 15.49 ppm (P6) to 4,950 ± 25.23 ppm (P4); mean 3,961.43 ppm across seven products (Table 2).
- Skimmed milk powder product with prebiotics (P5): aluminum 4,500 ± 27.14 ppm (Table 2).
Methods (brief)
Powders were analyzed by XRF in vacuum with graphite added, treating the matrix as a generic protein mixture. The detection limit was 5 ppm. Determinations were done in triplicate. The methods describe the samples both as raw and as calcined, so the basis is unclear. No reference material or recoveries are reported.
Evidence Fitness
Weak evidence for toxic metals. Aluminum is the only element of concern measured, and levels in the thousands of ppm are far above typical milk powder values and were not confirmed by another method. The “maximum allowable limits” are not tied to any regulation. Milk powder, including the formulated skimmed product, is a proxy for skim-milk, so that page is not linked.