Content of selected micro and macro elements in dairy cows’ milk in Estonia

Milk and milk products are an important source of dietary minerals for consumers. The content of the micro and macro elements in food varies among and within countries. Information about concentration of micro and macro elements in Estonian food is limited. To get preliminary information about calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), selenium (Se), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), cobalt (Co) and copper (Cu) content in raw milk, samples from 8 Estonian conventional and 2 organic dairy farms, as well as from 2 consumer milks produced by different dairies were analysed by using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). No suboptimal micro and macro element concentrations were found in raw milk samples. However, concentration of dietary minerals in consumer milk was lower than the concentration in raw milk except Fe, which was higher in consumer milk.