Overview
This 2020 Chinese study measured chromium, total arsenic, cadmium, and lead in 93 cow milk-based infant formula samples across four developmental stages from the Beijing market. ICP-MS analysis; wet weight basis. All samples were powdered formula; concentrations reported as-purchased. The study found no significant difference between domestic and imported brands.
Key numbers
All concentrations in µg/kg wet weight (as-sold powder), ICP-MS; n=93 total.
| Metal | Mean ± SD (µg/kg) | Range (µg/kg) | LOD (µg/kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cr | 27.38 ± 14.20 | 2.51–83.80 | 2.0 |
| tAs | 3.32 ± 1.55 | 0.89–7.87 | 0.5 |
| Cd | 0.98 ± 0.77 | 0.13–3.58 | 0.1 |
| Pb | 2.03 ± 1.10 | 0.36–5.75 | 0.2 |
By stage: no significant differences across stages 1–4 for any metal (p>0.05). By origin: Cd slightly lower in domestic vs imported (0.77±0.75 vs 1.08±0.77 µg/kg, p>0.05, not significant).
EDI estimates (µg/kg bw/day) for 0.5–5 year-olds:
| Metal | EDI range |
|---|---|
| tAs | 0.008–0.031 |
| Pb | 0.0061–0.0170 |
| Cr | 0.073–0.278 |
| Cd | 0.0025–0.0090 |
All THQ <1; Hazard Index (HI) 0.055–0.209.
Methods
ICP-MS; acid digestion. All 93 samples detected for all four metals. Wet weight basis. Note: Cr reported as total chromium; paper does not speciate Cr-VI.
Implications
Certification: tAs (mean 3.32 µg/kg) and Pb (mean 2.03 µg/kg) in Chinese cow-milk formula are well below EU ML for infant formula (As: no specific ML for formula in China as of 2020; Pb: 20 µg/kg under GB 10765-2010). Cr values (mean 27.38 µg/kg) are total chromium, not Cr-VI; do not apply Cr-VI HMT&C limits to these values.
App: Cow milk-based formula from Chinese market: low-normal range for tAs and Pb; Cr elevated relative to other studies but total Cr, not Cr-VI.
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Update history
The five most recent substantive edits to this page, classified major (evidence or structure moved), correction (a published value or statement was wrong and has been fixed), or minor (narrative rewritten without changing the underlying evidence). Each description is derived from what the edit did to this page; the linked commit is the authoritative record, routine regeneration passes are excluded, and the full version history lives in git. When DOI minting comes online (see schema docs), each entry below will also link to a version-pinned DataCite DOI.
| Commit | Date | Change | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| a8052bb | 2026-08-09 | major | 6 sections added; narrative text revised |