A host of infant formula brands are “significantly contaminated” with high levels of aluminium, according to a study from Keele University in the UK examined 15 branded ready-made and powdered milks for infants.
The researchers found concentrations of aluminium were up to 40 times higher than are present in breast milk and several times higher than are allowed in drinking water.
The results were based on tests carried out on products from manufacturers Cow & Gate, Hipp Organic, SMA Nutrition and Aptamil.
The main researchers Dr Chris Exley and Shelle-Ann Burrell state “Recent research demonstrating the vulnerability of infants to aluminium serves to highlight an urgent need to reduce the aluminium content of infant formulas to as low a level as practically possible. There is (still) too much aluminium in infant formulas”.
But Danone, which owns both the Cow & Gate and Aptamil brands, said the aluminium content of its products had been cleared by European regulators – which had also recently said current aluminium levels in formula posed no health risk.
The milk formula samples had their aluminium content determined by Transversely Heated Graphite Atomizer (THGA). The research found concentrations Aluminium from 176 to 700 µg/L in ready-made milks.
Powders used to make milk contained aluminium levels from around 2.4 to 4.3 µg/g. 4.3 µg/g equated to a ready-to-drink concentration of 629 µg/L.
According to the researchers “Consumption of these milk formulas would result in the ingestion of up to 600 µg of aluminium a day. Generally, the greatest exposure to aluminium was through Hipp Organic products and the SMA soya-based products.”
Dr Exley said “This lack of improvement in lowering their content [of aluminium] suggests either that the manufacturers are not monitoring the aluminium content of their products or that the manufacturers are not concerned at these levels of contamination” The paper acknowledged there was no evidence that present levels of aluminium in infant formula caused adverse effects in healthy infants, but added that no clinical studies had yet been carried out to refute such a possibility.
Danone is quoted as responding accordingly: “We take every precaution to ensure that aluminium levels in our formula are kept to an absolute minimum through monitoring and ensuring that aluminium is not added in any of our ingredients and that our formulas do not come into contact with aluminium in the production process or in packaging. Aby both the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) had demonstrated the aluminium content of its infant formula products were within the Tolerable Weekly Intake set in 2008.
We have already sought the advice of the Food Standards Agency on this issue. The FSA has said that, based on the EFSA opinion, that ‘their recent surveys of infant formula do not raise concerns about aluminium intake for infants in the UK fed on cows’ milk-based formula’.In the light of this new data we will continue to analyse and monitor our products and work with the authorities to ensure that our formulas continue to be within the safety limit. Parents can be reassured that our advice and the advice of the FSA is that there is no need to change their baby’s feed.”