Safety and quality evaluations of liquid milk and infant formula products in China in 2022

Milk serves two nutritional functions: it provides nutrition while also maintaining a healthy intestinal microenvironment. Thus, the safety and quality of milk products are critical for consumers' health. To evaluate liquid milk and infant formula products in China, we analyzed nine indices of 294 batches of pasteurized milk (PM), 92 batches of ultra-high temperature milk (UHT), and 20 batches of infant formula milk powder (IF) collected from 21 provinces in 2022. All PM, UHT, and IF samples were satisfactory concerning aflatoxin M₁ contamination, contamination by heavy metals, and residues of veterinary drugs and pesticides. The contents of lactoferrin, α-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin, furosine, and lactulose in the majority of samples met the group standards. Moreover, the contents of lactoferrin, α-lactalbumin, and β-lactoglobulin were higher in PM than in UHT, while furosine and lactulose contents showed the opposite trend. The findings concerning the safety and quality of milk products in China provide important insights to aid consumer preferences for milk products.