Dietary exposure estimates of 18 elements from the 1st French Total Diet Study.

To estimate the dietary exposure of the main minerals and trace elements from retail food typically consumed by the French population, samples were purchased and then prepared and cooked prior to analysis. A total of 1080 individual food composites samples were collected and analysed for 18 elements (arsenic, lead, cadmium, aluminium, mercury, antimony, chrome, calcium, manganese, magnesium, nickel, copper, zinc, lithium, sodium, molybdenum, cobalt and selenium). Intakes were calculated from different food consumption patterns found in France for average and high consumers among adults and children. Dietary exposures of those consumers estimated from the France 2000 Total Diet Study (FTDS) are reported, and compared with existing nutritional reference values (Lowest threshold Intake, LTI) or toxicological reference values (Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake, PTWI or Upper Level, UL) of the respective element and from previous French studies. This study confirms for the populations concerned, the low probability of nutritional or health risks due to food consumption.