Heavy metals and other trace elements [in milk and milk products]
1997
Bluethgen, A. | Heeschen, W.H. (Federal Dairy Research Centre, Kiel (Germany)) | Burt, R.
The concentration of heavy metals and other trace elements in fresh milk is relatively constant and only exceptionally increased when animals consume contaminated feed. Apart from the aliphatic and/or aromatic organic compounds of the metals under study, especially mercury and lead, which are fat-soluble and readily excreted with the milk fat, the ionic (cationic) metal salts are efficiently removed by the various metabolic processes in the cow preventing the metal ions to reach the milk serum in appreciable amounts. The analytical determination of these low or even extremely low concentrations (microg per kg or less) is routinely possible with a number of analytical procedures. The essential trace element content of milk is low and will not supply the physiological requirement of man and is more likely to lead to under-supplementation than to intoxication. Some off-flavours in milk and milk products can be produced by the catalytic effects of e.g. iron or copper. These concentrations are only caused by postsecretory contamination from the use of unsuitable processing equipment. Generally speaking, the undesired effects associated with trace metals in milk are of only marginal importance.
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