AUTHOR=Almeida Cristine Couto , Baião Diego dos Santos , Rodrigues Paloma de Almeida , Saint'Pierre Tatiana Dillenburg , Hauser-Davis Rachel Ann , Leandro Katia Christina , Paschoalin Vania Margaret Flosi , Costa Marion Pereira da , Conte-Junior Carlos Adam 

TITLE=Macrominerals and Trace Minerals in Commercial Infant Formulas Marketed in Brazil: Compliance With Established Minimum and Maximum Requirements, Label Statements, and Estimated Daily Intake

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.857698

DOI=10.3389/fnut.2022.857698

ISSN=2296-861X

ABSTRACT=Infant formulas are the main nutritional source for infants when breastfeeding is not possible or recommended. The daily need for specific nutrients, such as essential minerals, in the early stages of a child's life is high due to rapid infant growth and development, which impose metabolic flux increases to these pathways to support growth, physical activity and defense against infections. In this context, this research aimed to determine macromineral and trace mineral contents in starting (phase 1) and follow-up (phase 2) infant formulas marketed in Brazil (n = 30) by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, calculate estimated daily intakes and compare them to reference values regarding, adequate intake and tolerable upper intake levels. The highest concentrations of macrominerals were observed in Ca, K, P and Na, and the trace minerals in Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu. A certain homogeneity only to trace mineral contents was observed when analyzing inter-batch values from the same manufacturers. In general, all phase 1 and phase 2 infant formulas brands and batches met or exceeded Fe, Zn, Cu, Mo and Se contents when compared to maximum limits established by Codex Alimentarius. In addition, Zn contents in both phase 1 and phase 2 infant formulas were above the contents established by the tolerable upper intake level for children aged 0 to 6 and/or 7 to 12 months. These findings highlight the need to expand regular infant formula inspection concerning nutritional quality, as some composition aspects of these foods must be improved upon to follow international guidelines, since the ideal requirements for infant formulas composition, quality and safety interfere in child development and adult health.