Monte Carlo simulation approach for health risk analysis of heavy metals' contamination in infant formula and food on the Iranian market.

BACKGROUND

Excessive exposure to toxic trace elements through food ingestion can adversely affect infant health. This study assesses the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks associated with trace elements (iron, selenium, zinc, chromium, mercury, cadmium, aluminium, barium, and strontium) in infant formula and complementary foods.

METHODS

A total of 80 formula milks and 27 baby food samples from 6 commercial brands have been collected from June 2020 to June 2021 from the Iranian market. The potential lifetime health risk posed to infants and toddlers is measured based on daily intake of elements, non-cancer hazard indices (HIs), hazard quotient (HQ), and cancer risks (CR).

RESULTS

The average concentrations of aluminium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, and zinc in infant formula and complementary foods significantly exceeded FAO/WHO standards across all seasons (P < 0.05). All HI values exceeded the safety threshold (HI > 1) for all age groups. Cancer risks ranged from 9.55 × 10⁻⁵ to 3.57 × 10⁻⁴, indicating potential carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks for infants and children.

CONCLUSIONS

Therefore, authoritative action limits should be set for baby food manufacturers to evaluate both their finished products for toxic trace elements and phase out products that have high toxic trace elements.