The fluoride contents of commercially-available soya milks in the UK

Abstract

Background In some parts of the world, soya milks are found to be a significant source of fluoride (F). Among western commercial markets, although there has been a sustained increase in soya milk products available for purchase, there are limited data on their F content.Objective To determine the F content of soya milk products available in the UK market including fresh and ultra-high temperature products in addition to sweetened and unsweetened soya milks.Materials and methods Fifty-two traditional and UK-produced soya milk samples commercially available in northeast England were analysed to determine their F concentration using a modified hexamethyldisiloxane-facilitated diffusion method with a F-ion-selective electrode coupled to a potentiometer.Results The median F concentration of all products was 0.293 1/4g/ml ranging from 0.015 1/4g/ml to 0.964 1/4g/ml. The median F concentration of ultra-high temperature (UHT) (n = 42) milks was 0.272 1/4g/ml lower than 0.321 1/4g/ml obtained for fresh (n = 10) soya milks. Organic soya milks contained less F compared with non-organic for sweetened and unsweetened categories.Conclusion Commercially available soya milks in the UK do not pose an increased risk for dental fluorosis development. Further research is necessary into the manufacturing process of soya milks, which may influence the overall F content of the end product. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited.