BFRStatementonLeadandCadmiuminInfantandToddlerFood

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Sep 17, 2018 - Analytics

BFRStatementonLeadandCadmiuminInfantandToddlerFood

The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) conducted a health assessment of lead and cadmium in infant and toddler food for the age group of 0.5 to <3 years based on concentration data from the Nationwide Monitoring Plan (BÜp) 2015 and the 2015 monitoring.

Products in the categories “powdered milk formula” and ready-to-eat milk formula as well as “powdered cereal supplement” and ready-to-eat cereal supplement were examined. Accordingly, the BfR considers a health impairment due to cadmium unlikely and a reduction of the maximum levels unnecessary. The maximum levels for infant and toddler food are set in Regulation (EU) No. 488/2014 for cadmium and in Regulation (EU) No. 2015/1005 for lead.

Lead, on the other hand, belongs to the substances for which no statement can be made about a safe intake. The BMDL01 value for developmental neurotoxicity of 0.5 µg/kg body weight per day was used as the basis for the health assessment. Lead intake was below this value for both children with average consumption and high consumers of the tested products. Nevertheless, according to the BfR, exposure to lead should generally be reduced to the achievable minimum.

Detailed information can be found in the BfR Opinion No. 026/2018 of August 07, 2018.

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Source: Federal Institute for Risk Assessment: www.bfr.bund.de