Monitoring Dietary Intakes

This work describes and evaluates a number of methodologies used to obtain data on people's dietary intake of food components. The methodologies are then applied to various macro-nutrients, micro-nutrients, flavouring materials, additives and contaminants.

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There are two sides to dietary intake. On the one hand, various governmental and institutional experts recommend minimum daily requirements and acceptable levels of consumption. On the other hand, dietary habits show that humans often consume quite different amounts of the same substances. This work evaluates various methodologies for obtaining data on the actual dietary intake of food components, additives and contaminants. These methodologies are then applied to macro-nutrients, micro-nutrients, flavouring materials, food additives and food contaminants. Different techniques are compared and the need for standardization is emphasized. Actual intake data is compared with recommended daily requirements and acceptable intakes. The book shows that the safety margins for food and natural products are usually smaller than those for additives and contaminants. Legal authorities increasingly require detailed, reliable information to help them resolve national differences in food legislation and this review is intended to offer guidance to them.