The use and limitations of current 'standard' toxicological data packages in the setting of acute reference doses.

To perform risk assessments for short term dietary intakes of pesticides it is necessary to determine an acceptable level of exposure from the available toxicity studies. This type of assessment is a relatively new development in regulatory toxicology and often the studies currently available are not optimal for such uses. The strengths and weaknesses of currently performed study types are presented. Consideration of the entire toxicity data base is essential.