Assessing the Intake of Contaminants and Nutrients: An Overview of Methods

The methods being applied to assess the intake of food contaminants or nutrients from one or more foods are reviewed and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Methods currently being used for estimating the joint intake of food contaminants or nutrients from several foods depend on the data and resources available. Ideally, the methods should account for the fact that individuals eat a variety of foods in a single day and do not necessarily consume the same foods every day. Similarly, the methods should adjust for the large variability that exists in the amount of food consumed by various individuals or on various days and in the food combinations consumed by different individuals or on different days. Finally, the methods should also adjust for the fact that food contaminants and nutrients are often present in more than one food and are usually present at varying concentrations.