Total diet studies for infants-example of persistent organic pollutants in human milk

Abstract

Breast milk should be the sole source of nutrients for infants for the first 6 months of life, and should also be a significant part of their diet in the months and even years that follow. A total diet study for young infants would then consists of one food - human milk. While breast milk is the optimal food for infants, chemical contaminants, particularly persistent organic pollutants (POPs), have been of growing concern because of their potential adverse health effects. The WHO Global Survey of POPs in Human Milk is discussed in the context of developments to reduce or eliminate emissions of POPs under the UNEP Stockholm Convention. The main features of the WHO protocol guidelines for the biomonitoring of human milk are presented.