Baby formula is contaminated with aluminium, UK study finds
Research shows all of the UK's top 30 baby formulas contain unacceptable amounts of the metal which is harmful to human health
The team of researchers at Keele University found that all of the UK’s 30 most popular infant formula brands contained aluminium. An infant feeding on soya-based powders could be consuming as much as 700 micrograms each day.
The European Food Safety Authority, the European Union’s risk assessment body, sets a tolerable weekly intake for aluminium at 1000 micrograms per week for adults. An infant feeding daily on many of the formulas tested would easily exceed that exposure, the study said.
According to Professor Christopher Exley, lead author and an expert on human exposure to aluminium, there is still not enough evidence to set an acceptable intake level.
“Until we do know, then we should adopt a precautionary approach. This is not the approach taken by the manufacturers of infant formula,” he said.
It is the second study on aluminium the team has carried out. In 2010, its research showed that 15 well-known brands of infant formula contained high concentrations of aluminium. The study gained much attention and sparked widespread concern, the Keele researchers say nothing has since been done by manufacturers to reduce levels.
A recent study by the Caroline Walker Trust which showed that 25% of UK parents use formulas as the only source of food for infants from birth and more than 50% of infants of 4–10 weeks of age are fed solely on formulas, inspired the team to follow up on the issue.