Survey of β-Lactam Antibiotics and Heavy Metals in Infant Milk Powder and Human Milk

HWIA-CHENG DING, *HAW-JANG LIU, YEA-LIAN SHEU AND TSUNG-CHAIN CHANG

Food Industry Research & Development Institute
*The 813th Millitary Hospital

ABSTRACT

   The contents ofβ-lactam antibiotics (ampicillin and supercillin) and heavy metals in human milk and infant milk powders were surveyed in this study. The bioassay-Bacillus stearothermophilus disc method was used for the detection of the antibiotics, while heavy metals were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotomertry. Results showed that there was no detectable antibiotics in infant milk powders, but residues ofβ-]actam antibiotics were commonly found in human milk samples. For 22 women studied, 84.6%, 22.7% and 9.1% of their breast milk samples were found to containβ-lactam antibiotics (ranging from 0.014-0.686IU/ml) on the third, seventh and fourteenth day, respectively , after parturition with drug intake or injection. Therefore, more precaution should be exercised when ingesting antibiotics during the period of conception and nutsing. The average concentration of lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic in infant milk powders was found to be 0.008±0.019 ppm, 0.005±0.007 ppm, 0.006±0.008 ppm and 2.155±3.380 ppb, respectively.Whereas the average concentration of these heavy metals in human milk samples was 0.027±0.029 ppm, 0.003±0.003 ppm, 0.001±0.004 ppm and 0.656±2.346 ppb. It was concluded that the contents of heavy metals in infant milk powders and human milk samples were in the normal range.

Key words : Breast milk, Milk powder, Heavy metals, β-lactam antibiotics.