document: Toxins in baby food might affect hormones : study NEW YORK - Infant formula and solid baby food frequently contain fungus-derived hormones that have been shown to cause infertility in mammals , Italian researchers report . Scientists at the University of Pisa report that as many as 28 % of samples of milk-based baby formulas they tested were contaminated with the fungal hormones , known as mycoestrogens . They tested 185 formula samples and 44 samples of meat-based baby food from a total of 21 brands commonly sold in Italy . The substances detected in the baby products included zearalenone and its derivatives , which comes from Fusarium , a large family of fungi common in farm settings . Although zearalenone and related chemicals that resemble the hormone estrogen have been linked to infertility in mammals , especially pigs , it 's not clear whether babies exposed to the compounds through food or formula would be at risk for any reproductive problems later in life . Previous research has shown that the body rapidly breaks down zearalenone into byproducts that pose no health threat . Still , the Italian researchers say their findings merit follow-up and ought to prompt closer scrutiny of baby formula and baby foods for the presence of these and other toxins . '' `` Our study shows the presence of mycoestrogens in infant food , '' '' Francesco Massart , who led the study , told Reuters Health . '' `` This is likely to have greater implications for infants and young children than for adults having a more varied diet . '' '' Mycoestrogens such as zearalenone are a fact of life for commercial agriculture . They are present in crops like corn , wheat and soy that are used for both human consumption and animal feed . Cattle yards in the United States regularly use one such substance , alpha-zeralanol , as a growth stimulant for the animals , although the European Union banned this practice in the mid-1980s . The Italian group sought to determine whether zearalenone and similar chemicals might be making their way into infant foods . The answer proved to be yes . Massart and his colleagues analyzed 185 samples from 14 brands of infant formula containing cow 's milk . They also tested 44 samples of baby foods , from seven brands , containing beef , chicken , turkey , calf , horse , rabbit , ham and lamb . Zearalenone appeared in 17 -LRB- 9 % -RRB- of the formula samples , and two derivatives of the molecule , alpha - and beta-zeralenol , were present in about a quarter of the samples . Among the meat-based baby foods , only the alpha - and beta-zeralenol derivatives were present in a less than a quarter of the samples . Concentrations of mycoestrogens varied widely but in general , the levels detected were well below the World Health Organization 's provisional maximum tolerable daily intake of 0.5 micrograms per kilogram of body weight . Average concentrations of beta-zeralenol in infant formula were four times the recommended maximum , however . Although Massart acknowledged that many questions remain about the possible link between mycoestrogens and harm to humans , he said the findings should give pause to parents who use baby formula . '' `` Children , and in particular preterm newborns , are potentially exposed to higher dose of mycotoxins during their early phases of life , but no one knows the long-term effects , '' '' he said . Animal research and the few available human studies suggest the early mycotoxin exposures may affect human health , Massart noted . '' `` Specific studies should be initiated that allow the establishment of safe levels of zearalenone metabolites in feed materials and compounded feeds , particularly for infants and children of different ages , as they are considered to be the most sensitive to environmental chemicals . '' '' Gilbert Ross , a physician and medical director of the American Council on Science and Health , a New York-based advocacy group , disagreed . '' `` Detecting something in food does not mean it 's harmful , '' '' Ross said . '' `` Further , the detection methods found -LRB- the contaminants -RRB- but at levels far too low to affect human health , including that of babies . As the authors themselves point out , the presence of these substances in food products are of '' `` little significance '' '' because the body rapidly breaks them down and excretes them , '' '' Ross said .
extractive_keyphrases: metabolites affect hormones fungusderived hormones mycoestrogens sought derivatives exposed excretes crops harmful consumption infant formula maximum tolerable samples substances tested betazeralenol detecting physician initiated infertility zearalenone recommended reproductive frequently italian researchers acknowledged animal feed mycotoxins new york contaminated toxins baby food fungi implications infants concentrations mammals european union banned american council them down baby body rapidly presence remain specific infant italy commercial agriculture detection prompt closer quarter little significance children health feed animal massart lamb seven hormone estrogen determine stimulant present different research science fusarium diet family food formula
abstractive_keyphrases: beef chicken turkey calf horse rabbit ham and human consumption molecule alpha contain fungusderived hormones provisional maximum crops like corn human health including european union baby formula beef chicken turkey calf horse rabbit average concentrations infant food animal research