A comparison of PCDD/PCDFs exposure in infants via formula milk or breast milk feeding

Food is the major source for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) accumulation in human body. In infant period, breast milk and formula milk are the major food sources. Congener-specific analyses of 17 PCDD/PCDFs were performed on 10 brands of formula milk samples which were milk-based and 37 breast milk samples collected from women living in southern Taiwan. The levels of 17 PCDD/PCDFs in 10 formula milk samples ranged from 0.468 to 0.962 pg WHO-TEQ/g lipid, with a mean value of 0.713 ± 0.163 pg WHO-TEQ/g lipid. For the 37 breast milk samples, their PCDD/PCDF levels were 14.7 ± 9.36 pg WHO-TEQ/g lipid, with a range between 4.21 and 52.8 pg WHO-TEQ/g lipid. At 12th month of age for infants, average daily intakes (ADI) of PCDD/PCDFs were 2.1 pg WHO-TEQ/kg/day for the formula-feeding infants, and 13 pg WHO-TEQ/kg/day for the breast-feeding infants. The present data may provide useful information for risk-benefit evaluation of formula- and breast-feeding.