October 14, 2013

Baby milk samples produced by Cow & Gate as well as Aptamil, which are available in Hong Kong, have been detected by the UK to contain heavy concentrations of aluminium.

Media reports in London said scientists have tested 30 brands of baby formula and found high levels of aluminium.

It was reported that their findings "are at odds with the Food Standards Agency (FSA)," the UK safety agency. "Its committee on toxicity recently looked at aluminium in formula milk and concluded there was no cause for concern."

Professor Christopher Exley and colleagues from Keele University say the FSA experts relied on an arbitrary standard based on a limited number of animal studies, which he described as meaningless. His team argues that aluminium in baby milk should be reduced to the lowest possible level.

In the study, published by BMC Paediatrics, they draw up a league table of formula milk by aluminium content. They found that two soy milk brands had the highest content, but SMA toddler milk and Hipp Organic first infant milk also had high levels. Among ready-to-drink types, SMA toddler milk had the lowest concentration, followed by Hipp Organic first infant milk, Aptamil hungry baby milk, SMA first infant milk and Aptamil first milk.

The growing up milks produced by Cow & Gate and Aptamil had the highest concentrations of aluminium. Aptamil toddler milk had nearly three times as much aluminium as SMA toddler milk.

For powdered milks, Hipp Organic growing up milk had the lowest level, followed by Aptamil hungry, Aptamil first milk and Hipp Organic follow-on milk.