专家警告：配方奶铝含量过高

The scientists are at odds with the FSA, whose recent study on toxicity concluded there was no cause for concern.

Scientists are defying government experts to warn that babies are being exposed to high levels of aluminium in formula milk, which they claim could damage their health.

Professor Christopher Exley and colleagues from Keele University have looked at the aluminium content of 30 brands of formula milk and say it is too high. Their study follows a similar survey they carried out in 2010, which was limited to 15 products. In the interim, they say, manufacturers have done nothing to reduce the amounts of the chemical to which babies are exposed. They claim aluminium is linked to cancer and Alzheimer's disease in later life.

The scientists are at odds with the Food Standards Agency, the government advisory body on safety. Its committee on toxicity recently looked at aluminium in formula milk and concluded there was no cause for concern.

Their independent experts "concluded that the estimated exposures of infants to aluminium from the dietary sources did not indicate toxicological concerns or a need for a change in government advice," said an FSA spokesman.

Exley does not agree, arguing that the committee's experts relied on an arbitrary standard based on a limited number of animal studies, which he described as meaningless. He said: "Since we are one of the leading groups, if not the leading group, working on aluminium and human health in the world, you might think our opinion would have some meaning for organisations like the FSA. Unfortunately the FSA is another arm of the government and the government is not going to do or say anything which might upset industry and the aluminium industry in particular."

"It is the attitude of government which is preventing any legislation in relation to exposure to aluminium and human health and this attitude fosters complacency within industry, in this case infant formula manufacturers, allowing them to do nothing about the potential time bomb which is our burgeoning exposure to aluminium."

His team argues that aluminium in baby milk should be reduced to the lowest possible level. In the study, published by BMC Paediatrics , they draw up a league table of formula milk by aluminium content. They found that two soya milk brands had the highest content, but SMA toddler milk and Hipp Organic first infant milk also had high levels. Among ready-to-drink types, SMA toddler milk had the lowest concentration, followed by Hipp Organic first infant milk, Aptamil hungry baby milk, SMA first infant milk and Aptamil first milk.

The growing up milks produced by Cow and Gate and Aptamil had the highest concentrations, with Aptamil toddler milk having almost three times as much aluminium as SMA toddler milk. For powdered milks, Hipp Organic growing up milk had the lowest level, followed by Aptamil hungry, Aptamil first milk and Hipp Organic follow-on milk.

Aluminium is also found in tap water and in breast milk, although the concentration is significantly lower.A spokeswoman for SMA said: "We would like to reassure parents that all SMA infant formula is safe.

"Aluminium occurs naturally in the environment and is present in many fruits, vegetables, packaged foods, beverages and water. We take every precaution to ensure the level of aluminium in our products is kept as low as possible.

"As you would expect all our infant formula undergoes rigorous testing and assessment to ensure its safety.

"The amount of aluminium in SMA products is well below the guidelines set by the European Food Safety Authority.

"The safety and quality of our products is our number one priority."

国家食品标准局最近对婴儿配方奶毒性反应的研究称大家不用担心铝含量的问题，但是科学家与其意见不一致。

科学家不认同政府专家的观点，警告大家婴儿所喝的配方奶中，铝元素含量过高，这将会损害他们的健康。

克里斯多夫•埃斯利教授和他来自英国基尔大学的同事研究了三十种配方奶中的铝含量，发现铝含量过高。在本次研究之前，他们在2010年就做过一个类似的调查，那次调查仅研究了15种产品。他们说，在这两次调查期间，制造商没有采取任何行动减少婴儿用品中的化学物质含量。他们声称铝元素会导致晚年生活患上癌症和阿茨海默症。

科学家与食品标准局意见不一致，后者是政府的安全咨询机构。食品标准局研究毒性反应的委员会最近调查了配方奶中的铝含量，得出的结论是大家没有必要担心其安全问题。

他们的独立专家“得出结论说婴儿从膳食来源获取的铝元素估算值不会产生毒性担忧问题，也没有必要改变政府的建议。”食品标准局发言人说。

埃斯利不同意他的说法，争论道说委员会的专家依赖的是基于有限数量动物研究得出的专横标准，在他看来，这个标准是没有意义的。他说：“我们不是致力于世界铝元素和人类健康的领导团队，但是我们是其中一员，人们可能认为我们的观点会对像食品标准局这样的机构产生一些影响。不幸的是，食品标准局是政府的另一支臂膀，政府不会做出或者说出损害工业，尤其是制铝工业的事情或言论。”

“是政府的态度阻止了任何与铝元素摄入和人类健康相关的立法，这种态度在行业领域导致了自满情绪，这就导致领域中的婴儿奶品制造商对于潜在的定时炸弹，也就是我们增多的铝摄入量不会采取任何行动。”

他的团队认为婴儿奶品中的铝含量应该降到最低水平。他们在《BMC的儿科》杂志上说，通过铝含量草拟的配方奶排名表单，他们发现两种豆奶品牌铝含量最高，但是惠氏SMA幼儿奶粉和Hipp喜宝有机一段奶粉中铝含量也很高。在即饮奶的品种中，惠氏SMA幼儿奶中铝元素浓度最低，其次是Hipp喜宝有机一段奶粉，爱他美婴儿奶粉，惠氏SMA金装一段奶粉和爱他美一段奶粉。

英国牛栏成长奶和爱他美奶中铝元素浓度最高，爱他美幼儿奶中铝含量几乎是惠氏SMA幼儿奶中铝含量的三倍。奶粉中，Hipp喜宝有机奶粉铝含量最低，其次是爱他美奶粉，爱他美一段奶粉和Hipp喜宝有机益生元奶粉。

在自来水和母乳中也发现了铝元素，尽管浓度很低。惠氏公司的一名女发言人说：“我们向家长保证，所有的惠氏SMA婴儿配方奶品都是安全的。”

“铝元素在环境中自然存在，在很多水果、蔬菜、袋装食品、饮料和水中也都有铝元素。我们要采取所有的预防措施来保证我们产品中铝元素的含量保持在很低的水平。”

“就像你们所期待的，我们所有的配方奶粉都经受了严格的测试和评估来确保其质量。”

“惠氏产品中的铝含量要远低于欧洲食品安全局设立的标准。”

“产品的安全和质量问题是我们优先考虑的事情。”