Occurrence and dietary exposure assessment of heavy metals in baby foods in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Study overview

Cross-sectional survey of heavy metal occurrence in commercially available infant foods in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 111 samples analyzed: 39 stage 1 infant formula, 22 stage 2 infant formula, 33 cereal-based meals, and 17 biscuits. Study assessed dietary exposure and health risk using hazard quotient (THQ), hazard index (HI), and margin of safety (MOE) approaches.

Methods

Sample collection and preparation: Infant formula and food products purchased from retail markets in Saudi Arabia. Stage 1 formula for infants 0-6 months, stage 2 for 6-12 months.

Analytical method: Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

Quality assurance: Method validation with standard reference materials. Limits of detection reported as 0.70 µg/L (As), 0.90 µg/L (Cd), 6.90 µg/L (Pb).

Exposure assessment: Estimated daily intake (EDI) calculated using recommended daily consumption rates for infants. Reference dose (RfD) values sourced from EPA and WHO guidance.

Key findings

All detected concentrations exceeded WHO guideline values for at least one analyte.

Risk assessment

Health risk estimated using THQ (target hazard quotient) and HI (hazard index) for non-carcinogenic endpoints; MOE (margin of safety) for carcinogenic endpoints.

Non-carcinogenic risk: THQ values for all metals and all product types ranged 0.001–0.99. HI (sum of individual THQs) values <1.00 across all pathways, indicating acceptable non-carcinogenic risk at current consumption levels.

Carcinogenic risk (Pb): MOE values 1.00–5.00, indicating potential concern for lead exposure, particularly in infants consuming stage 2 formula and cereal meals daily. Study noted MOE <100 warrants risk reduction measures.

Notes for wiki

• Stage 2 formula shows elevated Pb and Cd relative to stage 1, suggesting potential accumulation or formulation differences.
• Cereal meals recorded highest mean Pb concentration.
• Study did not distinguish inorganic vs. organic arsenic; reported values treated as inorganic (iAs) pending source clarification.
• EDI calculations assumed 500 mL/day infant consumption; consumption varies by age within 0-12 month window.
• WHO guideline comparison suggests category-wide concern in Saudi Arabia market at time of study (2019–2020 samples).

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