Assessment of dietary exposure of young Chinese children to aluminium residues

The aim of this study was to assess the Al dietary exposure of young Chinese children aged 0–3 years via formulae, complementary foods and wheat-based foods. Al residue data were obtained from the national food contamination monitoring programme from 2013 to 2016, encompassing 13,833 samples of 12 food items with a detection rate of 76.0%. Food consumption data were gathered from the China National Food Consumption Survey conducted in 2015, comprising 20,172 children aged 0–3 years old. The mean dietary exposure to Al for the general population of young Chinese children was estimated at 0.76 mg/kg bw/week, which does not exceed the PTWI. The 97.5th percentile intakes of Al reached 3.42 mg/kg bw/week, more than 1.7 times the PTWI. Wheat-based foods contributed 80.5% of the Al intake for the general population of young Chinese children, while formulae and complementary foods accounted for 19.5% of the total intake. The dietary intake of Al from formulae and complementary foods accounted for 6.0% and 1.6% of PTWI, respectively. These findings suggested that dietary exposure to Al among the general population of young Chinese children was lower than the PTWI and that there are no health concerns related to this level of Al intake. However, more attention should be placed on the health risks associated with Al exposure from wheat-based foods for young consumers with high food consumption in China (97.5th percentile)     

Aluminium in food and daily dietary intake assessment from 15 food groups in Zhejiang Province,China

Aluminium was measured in 2580 samples of 15 food groups and dietary exposure was estimated. Samples were purchased and analysed during 2010 to 2014. High aluminium levels were found in jellyfish (mean 4862 mg/kg), laver (mean 455.2 mg/kg) and fried twisted cruller (mean 392.4 mg/kg). Dietary exposure to aluminium was estimated for Zhejiang residents. The average dietary exposure to aluminium via 15 food groups in Zhejiang Province was 1.15 mg/kg bw/week, which is below the provisional tolerable weekly intake of 2 mg/kg bw /week. Jellyfish is the main Al contributor, providing 37.6% of the daily intake via these 15 food groups. This study provided new information on aluminium levels and assessment of aluminium (Al) dietary exposure in Zhejiang Province of China.     

Dietary exposure and risk assessment of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins,polychlorinated dibenzofurans and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls of the population in the Region of Valencia (Spain)

Dietary exposure of the Valencia Region population to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and PCBs was assessed in the Region of Valencia in 2010–2011. A total of 7700 food samples were collected. Occurrence data were combined with consumption data to estimate dietary exposure in adults (>15 years of age) and young people (6–15 years of age). The estimated intake was calculated by a probabilistic approach. Average intake levels (upper-bound scenario) were 1.58 and 2.76 pg toxic equivalent (TEQ) kg^?1 body weight (bw) day^?1 for adults and young people, respectively. These average intakes are within range of the tolerable daily intake of 1–4 pg WHO-TEQ kg^?1 bw day^?1 recommended by WHO, and slightly above the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 14 pg TEQ kg^?1 bw week^?1 and the Provisional tolerable monthly intake of 70 pg TEQ kg^?1 bw month^?1 set by the Scientific Committee on Food and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food, respectively. These results show that the contamination levels in food and therefore the exposure of the general population to PCDD/Fs and PCBs have declined in this region and therefore show the efficiency of the European risk-management measures. In terms of risk characterisation, the results showed that, under the upper-bound scenario, 22% of the adult and 58% of the young people population could exceed the TWI.     

Lead and cadmium in foods/drinking water from Slovenian market/taps: Estimation of overall chronic dietary exposure and health risks

ABSTRACT

Approximately 3000 food samples from the Slovenian market and 2500 drinking (tap) water samples in the period 2011 ? 2016 were evaluated for the presence of toxic elements lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) and the overall chronic dietary exposure was assessed for each element. The highest mean concentrations were found for Pb in products for special nutritional use – dietary supplements (0.383 mg/kg) and for Cd in fish and seafood (0.117 mg/kg). The consumption data were obtained from the national study of the household budget and from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) summary statistics. Chronic dietary exposure was estimated deterministically. The average Pb and Cd intakes from food and drinking (tap) water ranged for children from 0.90 to 1.021 µg/kg bw/day and 4.65 to 5.65 µg/kg bw/week, respectively, and for adults, including adolescents, from 0.40 to 0.53 µg/kg bw/day and 1.98 to 2.82 µg/kg bw/week, respectively. The high consumption of cereal-based foods and vegetables contributed most to overall Pb and Cd intake in the majority of the age groups. The exposure to Pb was generally lower and that to Cd was higher compared to the average EU values. The most exposed were children, as the health-based guidance values were exceeded for both elements, which indicates a health concern. An important contribution to Cd exposure can be attributed to grains and potatoes grown in Slovenia, where the soil contains more Cd than that in other EU countries. Further efforts to reduce Pb and Cd intake are required to minimize potential health risks.     

Heavy metals in aromatic spices by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

Objective of this study was to determine the content of Cd, Hg, As and Pb in common spices traded in the Italian market, using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results were compared with the maximum limits established by the national Legislative Decree (LD) no. 107 implementing the Council Directive 88/388/EEC and by international organisations, such as Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO). Food safety for spices was assessed considering the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) and the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI), respectively, for Cd and Hg and the 95% lower confidence limit of the benchmark dose of 1% extra risk (BMDL₀₁) for As and Pb. Investigated elements in all samples were within the maximum limits as set by the national and international normative institutions. Nevertheless, the heavy metal content of some spices exceeded the PTWI, TWI and BMDL₀₁, which needs attention when considering consumer’s health.     

Increased urinary excretion of aluminium after ingestion of the food additive sodium aluminium phosphate (SALP) – a study on healthy volunteers

ABSTRACT

Food is an important source of human aluminium (Al) exposure and regular consumption of foods containing Al-based food additives may result in high Al intakes above health-based tolerable intakes. However, some additives are Al salts with low solubility, and little is known about bioavailability of Al in these additives. We investigated urine Al concentrations in healthy adult volunteers (N = 18, women/men) before (base-line) and after 7 days of ingestion of pancakes with a low Al content (median: <0.5 mg Al/kg) and high Al content (median: 860 mg/kg). The high-Al pancakes contained the common additive sodium aluminium phosphate (SALP). The participants did not know if the pancakes contained SALP or not during the experiment. After adjusting for creatinine content of the urine samples, median base-line Al concentrations before pancake ingestion were in the range 30–40 µmol Al/mol creatinine. Urine Al concentrations after ingestion of low-Al pancakes (average intake: <0.042 Al mg/day) did not differ significantly from the base-line levels. After ingestion of high-Al pancakes (72 mg Al/day) the median Al concentration in urine was more than 2-fold higher than at the base-line sampling before the high-Al pancake ingestion. At the end of the experiment the volunteers ingested an Al-containing antacid (Al-OH, 1800 mg Al/day) for 7 days as a positive control of Al absorption. This caused a 10-fold increase in median urine Al concentration compared to base-line. Our results strongly suggest that Al in the form of SALP in a pancake mix is bioavailable for absorption in humans, which should be taken into account in risk assessment of Al in food in countries with a high use of SALP as a food additive.     

武汉市面制食品中铝污染现状及膳食暴露评估

目的 调查武汉市面制品中铝污染现状, 并评估武汉居民的铝暴露情况。方法 根据随机抽样法采集武汉市面制食品共307件, 根据国家标准方法检测其中铝的含量, 并结合2002年中国居民膳食消费量调查结果, 评估居民面制食品中铝的暴露量。结果 307件面制食品中铝含量均值为235.4 mg/kg, 总检出率为55.7%, 总超标率为44.6%, 5类样品中铝含量存在显著性差异; 武汉市面制食品中铝的平均膳食暴露量为 3.63 mg/(kg?bw), 面制食品铝暴露量的P90值为11.5 mg/(kg?bw), 均高于联合国粮农组织/世界卫生组织食品添加剂联合专家委员会(Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, JECFA)制定的铝每周耐受摄入量(provisional tolerated weekly intake, PTWI)。结论 武汉市面制食品中铝暴露量存在安全隐患, 相关部门需要加大对该类食物中含铝添加剂滥用行为的监管力度。     

Dietary intake of arsenic by children and adults from Jinhu area of China

The aim of this study was to estimate the dietary intake of arsenic (As) by children and adults from Jinhu area of China. A duplicate diet approach was used to collect diet samples in November and December 2007. The As content was measured by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry. The As intakes (median) for different group were: children: 0.6 µg kg^?1 bw day^?1 or 6.7 µg kg^?1 bw week^?1; adults: 0.5 µg kg ^?1 bw day^?1 or 3.8 µg kg ^?1 bw week^?1, none of which exceeded the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of 15 µg kg ^?1 bw week^?1 for As proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The median and maximum of the children group amounted to 44.7% and 125.3% of the PTWI; the values for adults were 25.3% and 118.7%, respectively. There were 3.3% of children whose weekly As intake exceeded the PTWI, and there were 6.7% of adults whose weekly As intake exceeded the PTWI. It is concluded that dietary As intake was safe for most people in Jinhu area, but the high dietary As intake for a minority of people in this area deserves attention.     

Dietary exposure of Hong Kong secondary school students to total mercury and methylmercury from fish intake

Fish is the main source of dietary exposure to methylmercury (MeHg), which is a public health concern owing to its potential neurotoxicity. To evaluate the public health risk, this study estimated the total mercury (tHg) and MeHg exposure from fish intake in Hong Kong secondary school students. Median tHg and MeHg concentrations of 280 samples purchased from different commercial outlets (covering 89 species of whole fish and three types of canned tuna), together with the local food consumption data of secondary school students obtained by semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire in 2000, were used to estimate dietary exposure from fish intake for the average and high consumer (95th percentile exposure). For tHg, the median concentration was 63 µg kg^–1 (range 3–1370 µg kg^–1) and estimated exposures ranged 0.5–0.6 µg kg^–1 body weight (bw) week^–1 for an average consumer and 1.6–1.9 µg kg^–1 bw week^–1 for a high consumer. For MeHg, median concentration was 48 µg kg^–1 (range 3–1010 µg kg^–1) and estimated dietary exposures were 0.4–0.5 µg kg^–1 bw week^–1 for an average consumer and 1.2–1.4 µg kg^–1 bw week^–1 for a high consumer. These values are below the respective provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) established by the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). The health risk is greater for high consumers since MeHg exposures may approach or exceed the PTWI when other dietary sources are taken into account.     

Dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls in marine fish from Shandong,China, and human dietary exposure

The occurrence and human dietary exposure of 12 dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) in 41 marine fish samples from Shandong Province of China were investigated. The DL-PCB congeners were extracted using automated Soxhlet extraction, purified via a composite column clean-up procedure and analysed by gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. DL-PCB congeners were found in all analysed samples, with a mean concentration of 0.887 ng/g ww (wet weight). The TEQ concentrations of DL-PCBs in individual fish samples ranged from 0.011 to 9.214 pg WHO TEQ/g ww. The mean dietary intake for all fish species was 36.5 pg TEQ/kg bw/month, which was lower than the provisional tolerable monthly intake of 70 pg TEQ/kg bw/month set by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. To monitor the trend of DL-PCBs in fish for food safety control, it is necessary to maintain a surveillance programme.     

Occurrence and dietary exposure assessment of multiple mycotoxins in corn-based food products from Shandong,China

This study was designed to investigate the occurrence and exposure assessment of multiple mycotoxins in corn-based food products from Shandong Province, China. Results demonstrated that the mean level of total mycotoxins in test samples was 197.2 µg/kg. The most frequently found mycotoxins were deoxynivalenol (96.7%) and fumonisin B₁ (94.4%), with mean contamination levels of 65.24 and 128.2, respectively. Among these corn-based food products, thin corn pancake had the highest mean contamination (886.7 µg/kg), followed by wotou (143.7 µg/kg), corn cake (135.4 µg/kg) and mantou (63.73 µg/kg). The average exposure values to total fumonisins and deoxynivalenol were 0.05 and 0.02 µg/kg bw/day, which were lower than the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake values of 2 and 1 µg/kg bw/day, respectively, as established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. In the future strict control and systematic monitoring are needed to secure food safety and human health.     

Risk assessment of dietary exposure to aluminium in the Chinese population

In order to address the issue of excessive intake of aluminium (Al) from Al-containing food additives in the Chinese diet, this study conducted a dietary exposure assessment of Al in the general population based on the national surveillance data of Al content in foods and national food consumption data. It was found that the mean dietary exposure of the whole Chinese population to Al from Al-containing food additives was 1.795 mg kg^?1 bw week^?1, not exceeding the PTWI, while high dietary exposures (e.g., 97.5^th percentile) to Al were 7.660 and 2.103–2.903 mg kg^?1 bw week^?1 for children, respectively, both exceeding the PTWI. It was found that the dietary exposure to Al for 32.5% of the total Chinese population and 42.6% of children aged 4–6 years exceeded the PTWI. Wheat flour and wheat-based products are the main source of dietary A l exposure (85% of the total intake); and puffed foods are the major source of Al intake for children. These findings suggested that consumption of Al-containing food additives could be a health concern for consumers with high food consumption (97.5^th percentile) and children under the age of 14 years.     

A Preliminary Investigation of Naturally Occurring Aluminum in Grains,Vegetables, and Fruits from Some Areas of China and Dietary Intake Assessment

An investigation of the naturally occurring aluminum contents in grains, fruits and vegetables locally planted in some areas of China was conducted, and the aluminum dietary intake from the investigated food was estimated. A total of 2,469 samples were collected during 2013 to 2014 and tested for aluminum content using ICP‐MS method. The results showed that although 77.6% of the samples contained aluminum less than 5 mg/kg, significant variations of aluminum contents were observed in different food groups. Generally, the aluminum contents were found to be relatively high in dried grains and fresh vegetables, and low in fresh fruits. The mean value of aluminum contents in grains was 6.3 mg/kg, with wheat being the highest, followed by soybean and corn. The fresh vegetables had an average aluminum content of 4.7 mg/kg, with leafy vegetables being the highest, followed by bulb and stem vegetables. Most varieties of fresh fruits were low in aluminum, with the mean of 1.3 mg/kg. Based on the food consumption data from the China National Nutrient and Health Survey, the average weekly dietary intake of naturally occurring aluminum from the investigated foods was estimated to be 0.62 mg/kg bw for the general population and 0.55 to 1.00 mg/kg bw for different age groups. Grains and vegetables were the main contributors to the overall intake. Evaluated against the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of 2 mg/kg bw, the dietary naturally occurring aluminum intake from the investigated foods was considered to be no safety concern.     

Total dietary intake of mercury in the Canary Islands,Spain

Estimating the risk associated with dietary intake of heavy metals by consumers is a vital and integral part of regulatory processes. The assessment of exposure to mercury shown in this paper has been performed by means of a study on the whole diet. Total mercury (Hg) levels were determined by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) in 420 samples of regularly consumed food and drink. The total Hg concentrations measured in the different groups of food ranged from non-detectable to 119 µg kg^?1 w/w. The fish group had the highest concentrations of total Hg. All groups of food with regulated Hg content showed levels that were lower than the legally set values. The food consumption data used in the analysis were taken from the latest nutritional survey made in the Canary Islands, Spain. The estimated total Hg intake of local population (5.7 µg/person day^?1) did not exceed the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) limit of 0.3 mg week^?1 of total mercury (43 µg/person day^?1) fixed by the Joint Food and Agricultural Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives. Fishery products contributed 96% of the total Hg intake. The mean Hg intake for each island in this archipelago, formed by seven, has also been calculated. Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and El Hierro are the islands with the highest level of Hg intake (7.0, 7,0 and 6.1 µg/person day^?1, respectively). La Palma Island, due to its low fish consumption, had the lowest level of Hg intake (4.5 µg/person day^?1), followed by La Gomera (5.4 µg/person day^?1), Tenerife (5.5 µg/person day^?1) and Gran Canaria (5.6 µg/person day^?1). A comparison has been made of the results obtained in this study with those found for other national and international communities.     

内蒙古自治区居民膳食中铝暴露风险评估

目的 了解内蒙古自治区主要食品中铝的污染现状,对当地居民膳食中铝暴露风险进行评估。方法 对2010—2018年内蒙古自治区食品安全风险监测中主要含铝添加剂食品的铝残留量进行分析,结合2012年内蒙古自治区居民食物消费量数据,按照性别-年龄组计算内蒙古自治区居民膳食中铝摄入量并评估其健康风险。结果 本次评估主要的含铝添加剂食品9类共1 083份,其中铝的检出率为69.44%(752/1 083),铝残留量均值为142.81 mg/kg,含量范围为2.50～2 950.00 mg/kg;全人群膳食中铝每周平均摄入量为0.692 mg/kg BW,低于食品添加剂联合专家委员会(JECFA)制定的每周可耐受摄入量(PTWI,2 mg/kg BW),高食物消费量人群膳食中铝每周摄入量为4.868 mg/kg BW,是PTWI的2.43倍;不同性别-年龄组人群膳食中铝每周平均摄入量均未超过PTWI,但各性别-年龄组人群的平均铝摄入量随年龄增加有降低的趋势。结论 粉条、油条中含铝添加剂超标现象严重,膨化食品、发酵面制品中存在含铝添加剂超范围使用现象。各性别-年龄组高消费量人群铝的暴露风险较大,相关部门需加强含铝添加剂超范围、超标使用的监管力度。     

Total dietary intake of mercury in the Canary Islands, Spain

Estimating the risk associated with dietary intake of heavy metals by consumers is a vital and integral part of regulatory processes. The assessment of exposure to mercury shown in this paper has been performed by means of a study on the whole diet. Total mercury (Hg) levels were determined by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) in 420 samples of regularly consumed food and drink. The total Hg concentrations measured in the different groups of food ranged from non-detectable to 119 microg kg(-1) w/w. The fish group had the highest concentrations of total Hg. All groups of food with regulated Hg content showed levels that were lower than the legally set values. The food consumption data used in the analysis were taken from the latest nutritional survey made in the Canary Islands, Spain. The estimated total Hg intake of local population (5.7 microg/person day(-1)) did not exceed the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) limit of 0.3 mg week(-1) of total mercury (43 microg/person day(-1)) fixed by the Joint Food and Agricultural Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives. Fishery products contributed 96% of the total Hg intake. The mean Hg intake for each island in this archipelago, formed by seven, has also been calculated. Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and El Hierro are the islands with the highest level of Hg intake (7.0, 7,0 and 6.1 microg/person day(-1), respectively). La Palma Island, due to its low fish consumption, had the lowest level of Hg intake (4.5 microg/person day(-1)), followed by La Gomera (5.4 microg/person day(-1)), Tenerife (5.5 microg/person day(-1)) and Gran Canaria (5.6 microg/person day(-1)). A comparison has been made of the results obtained in this study with those found for other national and international communities.     

Total dietary intake of mercury in the Canary Islands, Spain.

Estimating the risk associated with dietary intake of heavy metals by consumers is a vital and integral part of regulatory processes. The assessment of exposure to mercury shown in this paper has been performed by means of a study on the whole diet. Total mercury (Hg) levels were determined by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) in 420 samples of regularly consumed food and drink. The total Hg concentrations measured in the different groups of food ranged from non-detectable to 119 microg kg(-1) w/w. The fish group had the highest concentrations of total Hg. All groups of food with regulated Hg content showed levels that were lower than the legally set values. The food consumption data used in the analysis were taken from the latest nutritional survey made in the Canary Islands, Spain. The estimated total Hg intake of local population (5.7 microg/person day(-1)) did not exceed the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) limit of 0.3 mg week(-1) of total mercury (43 microg/person day(-1)) fixed by the Joint Food and Agricultural Organization/World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives. Fishery products contributed 96% of the total Hg intake. The mean Hg intake for each island in this archipelago, formed by seven, has also been calculated. Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and El Hierro are the islands with the highest level of Hg intake (7.0, 7,0 and 6.1 microg/person day(-1), respectively). La Palma Island, due to its low fish consumption, had the lowest level of Hg intake (4.5 microg/person day(-1)), followed by La Gomera (5.4 microg/person day(-1)), Tenerife (5.5 microg/person day(-1)) and Gran Canaria (5.6 microg/person day(-1)). A comparison has been made of the results obtained in this study with those found for other national and international communities.     

Lead concentration in meat from lead-killed moose and predicted human exposure using Monte Carlo simulation

Lead-based hunting ammunitions are still common in most countries. On impact such ammunition releases fragments which are widely distributed within the carcass. In Norway, wild game is an important meat source for segments of the population and 95% of hunters use lead-based bullets. In this paper, we have investigated the lead content of ground meat from moose (Alces alces) intended for human consumption in Norway, and have predicted human exposure through this source. Fifty-two samples from different batches of ground meat from moose killed with lead-based bullets were randomly collected. The lead content was measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The lead intake from exposure to moose meat over time, depending on the frequency of intake and portion size, was predicted using Monte Carlo simulation. In 81% of the batches, lead levels were above the limit of quantification of 0.03 mg kg(-1), ranging up to 110 mg kg(-1). The mean lead concentration was 5.6 mg kg(-1), i.e. 56 times the European Commission limit for lead in meat. For consumers eating a moderate meat serving (2 g kg(-1) bw), a single serving would give a lead intake of 11 μg kg(-1) bw on average, with maximum of 220 μg kg(-1) bw. Using Monte Carlo simulation, the median (and 97.5th percentile) predicted weekly intake of lead from moose meat was 12 μg kg(-1) bw (27 μg kg(-1) bw) for one serving per week and 25 μg kg(-1) bw (45 μg kg(-1) bw) for two servings per week. The results indicate that the intake of meat from big game shot with lead-based bullets imposes a significant contribution to the total human lead exposure. The provisional tolerable weekly intake set by the World Health Organization (WHO) of 25 μg kg(-1) bw is likely to be exceeded in people eating moose meat on a regular basis. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has recently concluded that adverse effects may be present at even lower exposure doses. Hence, even occasional consumption of big game meat with lead levels as those found in the present study may imply an increased risk for adverse health effects. Children and women of child-bearing age are of special concern due to the neurodevelopmental effects of lead.     

Aluminium content in foods with aluminium-containing food additives

The aluminium (Al) content of 105 samples, including bakery products made with baking powder, agricultural products and seafoods treated with alum, was investigated. The amounts of Al detected were as follows (limit of quantification: 0.01 mg/g): 0.01-0.37 mg/g in 26 of 57 bakery products, 0.22-0.57 mg/g in 3 of 6 powder mixes, 0.01-0.05 mg/g in all three agricultural products examined, 0.03-0.90 mg/g in 4 of 6 seafood samples, 0.01-0.03 mg/g in 3 of 11 samples of instant noodles, 0.04-0.14 mg/g in 3 of 4 samples of vermicelli, 0.01 mg/g in 1 of 16 soybean products, but none in soybeans. Amounts equivalent to the PTWI of a 16 kg infant were detected in two samples of bakery products, two samples of powder mixes and one sample of salted jellyfish, if each sample was taken once a week. These results suggest that certain foods, depending on the product and the intake, might exceed the PTWI of children, especially infants.     

Dietary cadmium intake by the Belgian adult population

The aim of this study was to estimate the dietary cadmium (Cd) intake of the Belgian adult population, to compare this dietary Cd exposure to the tolerable weekly intake (TWI) recently established by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and to determine the major food groups that contribute to dietary Cd exposure in Belgium. Food consumption data were derived from the 2004 Belgian food consumption survey (two 24 h recalls, 3083 participants). Cadmium concentrations in food items (n = 4000) were gathered from the control program of the Belgian Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain for the period 2006-2008. Dietary intake per individual was calculated from consumption data and median Cd concentrations. The population mean, median and 95th percentile of the dietary intake values were 0.98, 0.85 and 2.02 μg kg?1 body weight per week respectively. Two percent of the Belgian adult population has a dietary Cd intake above the recent TWI of 2.5 μg kg?1 body weight established by EFSA in 2009. Cereal products and potatoes contribute for more than 60% to Cd intake.