Fluoride Content of Ready-to-Eat Infant Foods and Drinks in Australia

Navira Chandio; James Rufus John; Shaan Floyd; Emily Gibson; Danny K. Y. Wong; Steven M. Levy; Judy R. Heilman; Amit Arora

doi:10.3390/ijerph192114087

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Fluoride Content of Ready-to-Eat Infant Foods and Drinks in Australia

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Fluoride Content of Ready-to-Eat Infant Foods and Drinks in Australia

Navira Chandio, James Rufus John, Shaan Floyd, Emily Gibson, Danny K. Y. Wong, Steven M. Levy, Judy R. Heilman and Amit Arora

International journal of environmental research and public health, Vol.19(21), p.14087

11/01/2022

DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192114087

PMCID: PMC9655222

PMID: 36360963

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Abstract

The use of fluoride is effective in preventing dental caries. However, an excessive intake of fluoride leads to dental fluorosis, making it necessary to regularly monitor the fluoride intake especially for infants. There is hitherto a lack of information on fluoride content in infant foods from an Australian perspective. Therefore, this study aims to estimate the amount of fluoride content from a range of commercially available ready-to-eat (RTE) infant foods and drinks available in Australia. Based on an external calibration method, potentiometry involving a fluoride ion selective electrode and a silver I silver chloride reference electrode was conducted to analyse the fluoride content of a total of 326 solid food samples and 49 liquid food samples in this work. Our results showed an overall median (range) fluoride content of 0.16 (0.001-2.8) mu g F/g of solid food samples, and 0.020 (0.002-1.2) mu g F/mL of liquid food samples. In addition, similar to 77.5% of the liquid samples revealed a fluoride content < 0.05% mu g F/mL. The highest variation of fluoride concentration (0.014-0.92 mu g F/g) was found in formulas for >= 6 month-old infants. We have attributed the wide fluoride content variations in ready-to-eat infant foods and drinks to the processing steps, different ingredients and their origins, including water. In general, we found the fluoride content in most of the collected samples from Australian markets to be high and may therefore carry a risk of dental fluorosis. These results highlight the need for parents to receive appropriate information on the fluoride content of ready-to-eat infant food and drinks.

Environmental Sciences

Environmental Sciences & Ecology

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Public, Environmental & Occupational Health

Science & Technology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Fluoride Content of Ready-to-Eat Infant Foods and Drinks in Australia
Creators: Navira Chandio - Western Sydney University
James Rufus John - Hlth Equity Lab, Campbelltown, NSW 2560, Australia
Shaan Floyd - Macquarie University
Emily Gibson - Macquarie University
Danny K. Y. Wong - Macquarie University
Steven M. Levy - University of Iowa
Judy R. Heilman - University of Iowa
Amit Arora - Western Sydney University
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: International journal of environmental research and public health, Vol.19(21), p.14087
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192114087
PMID: 36360963
PMCID: PMC9655222
NLM abbreviation: Int J Environ Res Public Health
ISSN: 1660-4601
eISSN: 1660-4601
Publisher: Mdpi
Number of pages: 9
Grant note: 1033213; 1069861; 1134075 / Australian National Health and Medical Research Council; National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia
Language: English
Date published: 11/01/2022
Academic Unit: Preventive and Community Dentistry; Epidemiology; Dental Research
Record Identifier: 9984367736702771

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