A METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH TO THE ASSESSMENT OF TRACE-ELEMENTS IN MILKAND DAIRY-PRODUCTS

A detailed protocol was applied to the study and quantification of Al, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Pt, Sr and Zn in raw cow's mi lk and dairy products. The investigation was prompted by the paucity o f data available on minor and trace elements in such matrices, despite their importance in nutrition or in food contamination. As a part of an overall monitoring programme, a study was thus undertaken with the following goals: (i) actual measurement of the concentration of the af oresaid elements in milk and related products; (ii) identification of possible correlations between animal feeding, time of year of sample c ollection, environmental condition and levels of elements in raw cow's milk; and (iii) evaluation of the influence of the manufacturing proc ess on the concentration ranges of certain health-related elements in milk products. Quantitative determinations were carried out by means o f inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). T he results obtained show considerable differences among the levels of trace elements in raw milk and those in derived products. This provide s evidence of the fact that manufacturing processes play a key role in the distribution of trace elements.