Philippine E-Journals

The Safety of Infants and Children from Lead in Milk Formulas Commercially Available in the Philippines

Judilynn N. Solidum

Discipline: medical

 

Abstract:

Milk formula is essential to man particularly to infants and children. The presence of contaminants may endanger people’s health. Heavy metal lead results primarily to neurologic problems among children. Its contamination of consumer products and accumulation in the biosystem will result to deleterious effects. This study chiefly aimed to determine the presence or absence of lead in formula milk intended for different age groups among children. Specifically, it aimed to determine the amounts of lead in formula milk samples analyzed. Also, the concentrations of lead were compared with standard limits set for it in milk formula from Codex Alimentarius. Further, projected blood levels of lead were mathematically determined and compared with the safe limits set by the Center for Disease Control. Lead is present in all milk formulas collected and analyzed. All of the samples’ lead concentrations went beyond the acceptable limit of 0.02ppm set by Codex Alimentarius. Milk formula for older children showed projected blood levels beyond both the 10 and 5ug/dL set safe limits of CDC. Four and two samples from milk formula for infants and younger children respectively went below 10ug/dL but all samples of the mentioned milk formulas went above the new safe limit of 5ug/dL.