The trace metal levels in milk and dairy products consumed in middle Anatolia—Turkey

In this study, aluminium (Al), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), selenium (Se) and arsenic (As) contents in milk and different dairy product samples were measured. Pb, Cd, As, Al and Se contents in the milk and different dairy products ranged from 0.054 mg/kg (milk powder)−1.100 mg/kg (Kaşar cheese), 0.009 mg/kg (whey powder and yogurt)−1.051 mg/kg (Tulum cheese), 0.010 mg/kg (whey powder)−0.146 mg/kg (butter), 2.848 mg/kg (ice cream)−8.778 (drained yogurt) and n.d. (ice cream, milk and whey powder, yogurt, ayran and Lor cheese)−0.434 mg/kg (Tulum cheese), respectively. The 75% of White and Kaşar cheeses, 50% of Lor and 12.5% of Tulum cheese samples contained higher Pb according to the legal limits established by the Turkish Food Codex and European Communities regulation and 12.5% of Tulum cheese sample contained Cd. It was concluded that Pb contents of milk and dairy products from this region might be highly hazardous to human