89 research outputs found
Aluminium content of spanish infant formula
Aluminium toxicity has been relatively well documented in infants with impaired renal
function and premature neonates.
The aims of this study were to analyse the concentration of aluminium in the majority of
infant formulae sold commercially in Spain, to determine the influence of aluminium
content in the tap water in reconstituted powder formulae and to estimate the theoretical
toxic aluminium intake in comparison with the PTWI, and lastly, to discuss the possible
interactions of certain essential trace elements added to formulation with aluminium
according to type or main protein based infant formula.
A total of 82 different infant formulae from 9 different manufacturers were studied.
Sample digestion was simulated in a closed acid-decomposition microwave system.
Aluminium concentration was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry with
graphite furnace.
In general, the infant formulae studied provide an aluminium level higher than that found
in human milk, especially in the case of soya, preterm or hydrolysed casein-based
formulae.
Standard formulae provide lower aluminium intakes amounting to about 4 % PTWI.
Specialised and preterm formulae result in moderate intake (11 – 12 % and 8 – 10 %
PTWI, respectively). Soya formulae contribute the highest intake (15 % PTWI).
Aluminium exposure from drinking water used for powder formula reconstitution is not
considered a clear potential risk.
In accordance with the present state of knowledge about aluminium toxicity, it seems
prudent to call for continued efforts to standardise routine quality control and reduce
aluminium levels in infant formula as well as to keep the aluminium concentration under
300 g l-1 for all infant formulae, most specifically those formulae for premature and low
birth neonates
X-Ray Fluorescence Microscopy Reveals Accumulation and Secretion of Discrete Intracellular Zinc Pools in the Lactating Mouse Mammary Gland
The mammary gland is responsible for the transfer of a tremendous amount of zinc ( approximately 1-3 mg zinc/day) from maternal circulation into milk during lactation to support the growth and development of the offspring. When this process is compromised, severe zinc deficiency compromises neuronal development and immune function and increases infant morbidity and/or mortality. It remains unclear as to how the lactating mammary gland dynamically integrates zinc import from maternal circulation with the enormous amount of zinc that is secreted into milk.Herein we utilized X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) which allowed for the visualization and quantification of the process of zinc transfer through the mammary gland of the lactating mouse. Our data illustrate that a large amount of zinc first accumulates in the mammary gland during lactation. Interestingly, this zinc is not cytosolic, but accumulated in large, discrete sub-cellular compartments. These zinc pools were then redistributed to small intracellular vesicles destined for secretion in a prolactin-responsive manner. Confocal microscopy identified mitochondria and the Golgi apparatus as the sub-cellular compartments which accumulate zinc; however, zinc pools in the Golgi apparatus, but not mitochondria are redistributed to vesicles destined for secretion during lactation.Our data directly implicate the Golgi apparatus in providing a large, mobilizable zinc storage pool to assist in providing for the tremendous amount of zinc that is secreted into milk. Interestingly, our study also provides compelling evidence that mitochondrial zinc pools expand in the mammary gland during lactation which we speculate may play a role in regulating mammary gland function
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