Mycoestrogen Pollution of Italian Infant Food

ObjectiveTo determine the concentrations of zearalenone and its metabolites in the leading brands of infant formula milks and meat-based infant foods commonly marketed in Italy, and to assess their repercussion in the provisional tolerable daily intakes of these estrogenic mycotoxins.Study designA total of 185 cow's milk-based infant formulas and 44 samples of meat-based infant foods samples were analyzed. The analysis of mycotoxins was performed by immunoaffinity column clean-up and high-pressure liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.ResultsZearalenone was detected in 17 (9%) milk samples (maximum 0.76 μg/L). The α-zearalenol was detected in 49 (26%) milk samples (maximum 12.91 μg/L). The β-zearalenol was detected in 53 (28%) milk samples (maximum 73.24 μg/L). The α-zearalanol and β-zearalanol were not detected in milk samples. Although α-zearalenol was detected in 12 (27%) meat samples (maximum 30.50 μg/kg), only one meat-based sample was contaminated by α-zearalanol (950 μg/kg). Zearalenone, β-zearalenol, and β-zearalanol were not detected in meat samples.ConclusionsThis study shows the presence of mycoestrogens in infant (milk-based and meat-based) food, and this is likely to have great implications for subsequent generations, suggesting the need to perform occurrence surveys in this type of food.