ABSTRACT
The Total Diet Study, also known as the Market Basket Study, is one of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) programs for monitoring chemical contaminants in foods. It is the only U.S. program that measures a broad range of these chemicals in foods as consumed. The principal objectives are to: (1) determine the dietary intake of pesticides, other industrial chemicals, elements (including heavy metals, radionuclides, and essential minerals); and (2) compare these intakes with Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADI), Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA), or Estimated Safe and Adequate Daily Dietary Intakes. The program also allows identification of trends, may identify isolated contamination sources, and serves as a final check on the effectiveness of pertinent U.S. regulations and/or initiatives. The emphasis of this program is on pesticides.
