Fluoride Level in Commonly Consumed Infant Juices

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine the fluoride levels in the most commonly consumed flavors of commercially available infant juices, and to determine if a significant difference exists among different juice flavors and product brands. Methods: Ninety samples of 3 different flavors (apple, pear and grape) from 3 infant juice manufacturing companies (Gerber, were used in the study included, T-test, One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and Fisher's Least Significant Difference (LSD), (SPSS 16, P <.05). Total amount of fluoride in each juice container was calculated and compared to the recommended optimal daily intake of fluoride for different age groups. Results: Fluoride concentrations ranged from 0.11 to 1.81 ppm (mean =0.75, SD =0.45) for all samples, with the highest fluoride concentration found in Gerber grape juice (mean =1.21, SD =0.34). Statistically significant difference in fluoride content among different manufacturers was found (P<.001). As a manufacturer, Gerber juices contain the higher fluoride levels (mean=1.13, SD=0.22) than Beechnut (mean=0.43, SD=0.42) and Earth Best (mean=0.34, SD=0.13). When comparing all three flavors of Gerber (mean for apple=1.07, mean for pear=1.11, mean for grape=1.21) there was no significant difference among the three flavors (P=.205). However, when comparing different flavors of Earth's Best (mean for apple=0.25 and mean for Pear=0.33), there was a significant difference between the two flavors (Ñ=.030) with pear containing higher fluoride levels. Conclusion: All infant juice samples were found to contain fluoride with a wide range depending on the manufacturer and the flavor. Fluoride content calculated in all tested samples was below the recommended optimal daily intake. When taking other fluoride sources in consideration, children who consume excessive amounts of juice per day may be ingesting more fluoride than the recommended daily intake.