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Etudes de l'Alimentation Totale Française (EAT), surveillance, exposition, substances, population<BR>Total Diet Studies (TDSs)<BR><BR><BR><BR>Undertaken at the national level, Total Diet Studies (TDSs) are based on a standardised method recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Their primary objective is to monitor the population's exposure to substances of concern in terms of public health: residues of plant protection products, environmental contaminants, heat-induced contaminants, natural toxins, additives, trace elements and minerals, for example. <BR><BR>What is a Total Diet Study?<BR><BR>A Total Diet Study consists in taking samples of foods which are regularly consumed by the population, from various outlets, preparing them as they are consumed, grouping them into 'composite samples', and then analysing them to screen for a certain number of toxic substances and nutrients: residues of plant protection products, environmental contaminants, heat-induced contaminants, natural toxins, additives, trace elements and minerals, for example. These studies are designed to assess the mean quantity of a chemical substance that is ingested by the general population and in various sub-groups (region, age, etc.). Such data are necessary to assess risks to consumer health associated with chemical substances.<BR><BR>To the extent that the foods are analysed 'as consumed', i.e. washed, peeled and cooked when necessary, the advantage of this method is that it provides more realistic 'background level' exposure data than approaches based on food standards or the results of monitoring and control programmes. Based on a standardised method that has been recommended for several years by the World Health Organization (WHO), this type of study also facilitates international comparisons of consumer exposure. <BR><BR>These studies are a major scientific tool for decision-making at the European and international levels regarding the regulation of chemical substances, the safety of food products, and consumer protection. TDS surveys are therefore implemented by numerous countries in order to assess nutritional and health risks.<BR><BR>The two French Total Diet Studies<BR><BR>A first French Total Diet Study (TDS1) was undertaken between 2000 and 2004 by the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), in collaboration with the French Food Safety Agency (AFSSA). This led to a comprehensive appraisal of the population's exposure, including adults and children, to inorganic contaminants and minerals, as well as mycotoxins. <BR><BR>In 2006, the Agency decided to undertake a second study (TDS2), which included 445 substances versus 30 in the first study. This study, which was published in June 2011, was financed with public funds by the Ministries in charge of Food, Health and Consumer Affairs, with a contribution from the French Observatory for Pesticide Residues. A budget of nearly 5 million euros was thus allocated to perform all the necessary sampling and analyses.<BR>In all, the TDS 2 survey resulted in the collection of 20,000 food products representing 212 types of food, for which 445 substances of interest were tested.<BR><BR>The substances tested in TDS 2 <BR><BR>All of the substances that had been analysed in TDS1 were tested in TDS2 in order to determine trends by monitoring the population's exposure levels. Numerous other substances were added to this list in order to provide a more complete picture of exposure.<BR>Work to identify the substances to be tested was undertaken by ANSES based on a series of criteria: existing risk assessment requirements, the need to describe exposure trends and supplement the description of exposure for certain contaminants, identification of emerging substances in the literature for which it would be valuable to undertake a risk assessment, the monitoring recommendations formulated by the Agency in its opinions, and analytical possibilities. A total of 445 substances, grouped into 11 categories, were tested:<BR>- Inorganic contaminants or trace elements<BR>- Minerals <BR>- Dioxins and furans<BR>- PCBs<BR>- Perfluorinated compounds <BR>- Brominated flame retardants <BR>- Mycotoxins<BR>- Phytoestrogens<BR>- Active plant protection substances<BR>- Heat-induced contaminants<BR><BR>TDS2: the initial results<BR><BR>In general, TDS 2 confirmed adequate levels of control over the health risks associated with the potential presence of chemical contaminants in foods in France, on the basis of the available regulatory thresholds and Health-Based Guidance Values. <BR>However, for some population groups, this study also highlighted risks of exceeding the toxicological thresholds for certain substances such as lead, cadmium, inorganic arsenic and acrylamide, indicating that efforts are required to reduce exposure. Since these risks are often linked to high consumption of a given food or food group, ANSES emphasises the importance of a diversified and balanced diet by varying foods and the quantities consumed. <BR>Lastly, the study highlights a need to improve scientific toxicological and analytical knowledge for a set of substances that are not regulated to date, but are found in foods, and for which it is not at present possible to draw a risk assessment conclusion.<BR><BR><BR>On 1 July 2010, AFSSA and AFSSET merged to create ANSES, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety.<BR><BR><BR>June 2011<BR><BR>Find out more...<BR>> The press kit of 30 June 2011<BR><BR>> Opinion and report on the French Total Diet Study 2 (TDS 2, June 2011)<BR><BR>- Opinion of 21 June 2011 regarding the results of the Total Diet Study 2 - 2006-2010 (pdf)<BR><BR>- Second French Total Diet Study(TDS 2) Report 1: Inorganic contaminants, minerals, persistent organic pollutants, mycotoxins and phytoestrogens (pdf)<BR><BR>- Second French Total Diet Study (TDS 2) Report 2: Pesticide residues, additives, acrylamide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (pdf) <BR><BR>> The 1st French Total Diet Study (pdf)<BR>Mycotoxins, minerals and traces elements, May 2004<BR>Human food<BR>Home,Anses,News,Press room,Agenda,Our topics,Food,Animal health and nutrition,Environmental health,Occupational health,Plants,Opinions and publications,Last opinions and reports,Food opinions and reports,Animal health and nutrition opinions and reports,Environmental and occupational health opinions and reports,Plants opinions,Opinions and reports in English,Bulletins and periodicals,Other publications,Subscribe to Anses newsletter,Research and reference,Research program,Laboratories and reference activities, + ,Job opportunities,Public procurement contracts,Our websites,Partners,Extranet / ExpertNet,Kid's area,Legal notice,Contact, ,<A HREF='PNL9I0.htm'>Etudes de l</A>
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Total Diet Studies (TDSs)
Undertaken at the national level, Total Diet Studies (TDSs) are based on a standardised method recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Their primary objective is to monitor the population's exposure to substances of concern in terms of public health: residues of plant protection products, environmental contaminants, heat-induced contaminants, natural toxins, additives, trace elements and minerals, for example.
What is a Total Diet Study?
A Total Diet Study consists in taking samples of foods which are regularly consumed by the population, from various outlets, preparing them as they are consumed, grouping them into 'composite samples', and then analysing them to screen for a certain number of toxic substances and nutrients: residues of plant protection products, environmental contaminants, heat-induced contaminants, natural toxins, additives, trace elements and minerals, for example. These studies are designed to assess the mean quantity of a chemical substance that is ingested by the general population and in various sub-groups (region, age, etc.). Such data are necessary to assess risks to consumer health associated with chemical substances.
To the extent that the foods are analysed 'as consumed', i.e. washed, peeled and cooked when necessary, the advantage of this method is that it provides more realistic 'background level' exposure data than approaches based on food standards or the results of monitoring and control programmes. Based on a standardised method that has been recommended for several years by theWorld Health Organization (WHO), this type of study also facilitates international comparisons of consumer exposure.
These studies are a major scientific tool for decision-making at the European and international levels regarding the regulation of chemical substances, the safety of food products, and consumer protection. TDS surveys are therefore implemented by numerous countries in order to assess nutritional and health risks.
The two French Total Diet Studies
A first French Total Diet Study (TDS1) was undertaken between 2000 and 2004 by the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), in collaboration with the French Food Safety Agency (AFSSA). This led to a comprehensive appraisal of the population's exposure, including adults and children, to inorganic contaminants and minerals, as well as mycotoxins.
In 2006, the Agency decided to undertake a second study (TDS2), which included 445 substances versus 30 in the first study. This study, which was published in June 2011, was financed with public funds by the Ministries in charge of Food, Health and Consumer Affairs, with a contribution from the French Observatory for Pesticide Residues. A budget of nearly 5 million euros was thus allocated to perform all the necessary sampling and analyses. In all, the TDS 2 survey resulted in the collection of 20,000 food products representing 212 types of food, for which 445 substances of interest were tested.
The substances tested in TDS 2
All of the substances that had been analysed in TDS1 were tested in TDS2 in order to determine trends by monitoring the population's exposure levels. Numerous other substances were added to this list in order to provide a more complete picture of exposure. Work to identify the substances to be tested was undertaken by ANSES based on a series of criteria: existing risk assessment requirements, the need to describe exposure trends and supplement the description of exposure for certain contaminants, identification of emerging substances in the literature for which it would be valuable to undertake a risk assessment, the monitoring recommendations formulated by the Agency in its opinions, and analytical possibilities. A total of 445 substances, grouped into 11 categories, were tested: - Inorganic contaminants or trace elements - Minerals - Dioxins and furans - PCBs - Perfluorinated compounds - Brominated flame retardants - Mycotoxins - Phytoestrogens - Active plant protection substances - Heat-induced contaminants
TDS2: the initial results
In general, TDS 2 confirmed adequate levels of control over the health risks associated with the potential presence of chemical contaminants in foods in France, on the basis of the available regulatory thresholds and Health-Based Guidance Values. However, for some population groups, this study also highlighted risks of exceeding the toxicological thresholds for certain substances such as lead, cadmium, inorganic arsenic and acrylamide, indicating that efforts are required to reduce exposure. Since these risks are often linked to high consumption of a given food or food group, ANSES emphasises the importance of a diversified and balanced diet by varying foods and the quantities consumed. Lastly, the study highlights a need to improve scientific toxicological and analytical knowledge for a set of substances that are not regulated to date, but are found in foods, and for which it is not at present possible to draw a risk assessment conclusion.
On 1 July 2010, AFSSA and AFSSET merged to create ANSES, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety.
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