Assessment of some element content and potential health risks in infant formulas available in Turkish markets

Abstract

The determination of the composition of some essential and toxic elements in commercial infant food formulas is important for providing safe food for infants. These formulas play an important role in infant nutrition, and understanding their contribution to the dietary intake of infants is crucial. In this study, the concentrations of essential and toxic elements (Pb, Ni, Cd, Al, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, Co) in infant formulas were determined using high-resolution continuum-source flame atomic absorption spectrometry (HR CS FAAS) and have been evaluated for health risk. The measured values for concentrations from lowest to highest were (in mg/kg): 36.38-77.45 (Zn), <0.000-0.18 (Ni), <0.000-0.09 (Cd), 6.28-12.88 (Al), 2.37-4.91 (Cu), 22.01-51.64 (Fe), and 0.55-2.06 (Mn). The Cr, Co and Pb levels were below the detection limits in all samples. According to the risk assessment conducted for infants aged 0-24 months, which involved calculating the estimated daily intake (EDI), the estimated weekly intake (EWI), the target hazard coefficient (THQ), and the hazard index (HI), it was found that the THQ for Ni is 0.05, while for Cd it ranges from 0.26-0.61, and for Al it ranges from 0.17-0.22. However, since the HI for all age groups is less than 1, it can be concluded that there is no health concern for the elements Ni, Cr, Cd, Pb, Al, and Co.