The number of dietary exposure assessment studies focussing on children is very limited. Children are however a vulnerable group due to their higher food consumption level per kg body weight. Therefore, the EXPOCHI project aims [1] to create a relational network of individual food consumption databases in children, covering different geographical areas within Europe, and [2] to use these data to assess the usual intake of lead, chromium, selenium and food colours. EXPOCHI includes 14 food consumption databases focussed on children (1-14 y old). The data are considered representative at national/regional level: 14 regions covering 13 countries. Since the aim of the study is to perform long-term exposure assessments, only data derived from 24 hr dietary recalls and dietary records recorded on at least two non-consecutive days per individual were included in the dietary exposure assessments. To link consumption data and concentration data of lead, chromium and selenium in a standardised way, categorisation of the food consumption data was based on the food categorisation system described within the SCOOP Task report 3.2.11. For food colours, the food categorisation system specified in the Council Directive 94/36/EC was used. The EXPOCHI project includes a pan-European long-term exposure assessment of lead, chromium, selenium and food colours among children living in 13 different EU countries. However, the different study methods and designs used to collect the data in the different countries necessitate an in-depth description of these different methods and a discussion about the resulting limitations.

Ochratoxin A is a nephrotoxic and renal carcinogenic mycotoxin and is a common contaminant of various food commodities. Eighty six kinds of foodstuffs (1032 food samples) were collected in 2011–2013. High-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection was used for ochratoxin A determination. Limit of quantification of the method varied between 0.01–0.2 μg/kg depending on the food matrices. The most exposed population is children aged 4–6 years old. Globally for this group, the maximum ochratoxin A dietary exposure for “average consumer” was estimated at 3.3 ng/kg bw/day (lower bound, considering the analytical values below the limit of quantification as 0) and 3.9 ng/kg bw/day (middle bound, considering the analytical values below the limit of quantification as 1/2 limit of quantification). Important sources of exposure for this latter group include grain-based products, confectionery, meat products and fruit juice. The dietary intake for “high consumers” in the group 4–6 years old was estimated from grains and grain-based products at 19.8 ng/kg bw/day (middle bound), from tea at 12.0 ng/kg bw/day (middle bound) and from confectionery at 6.5 ng/kg bw/day (middle bound). For men aged 18–59 years old beer was the main contributor with an intake of 2.60 ng/kg bw/day (“high consumers”, middle bound). Tea and grain-based products were identified to be the main contributors for dietary exposure in women aged 18–59 years old. Coffee and wine were identified as a higher contributor of the OTA intake in the population group of women aged 18–59 years old compared to the other population groups.

Co-occurrence of deoxynivalenol (DON) with other DON derivatives/metabolites and other Fusarium toxins, including zearalenone, nivalenol and as well as other mycotoxins (e.g. fumonisins) is frequently observed in food and feed. DON-3β...

The usual dietary intake of vitamin D was studied in 10 subgroups of the Czech population. Food consumption data was collected using repeated 24 h recall in a national cross-sectional survey (the Study of Individual Food Consumption, SISP04), and the vitamin D content in marketed foods was quantified within the national Total Diet Study (2014–2015). The Monte Carlo Risk Assessment computational model (version MCRA 8.2) was used to assess usual intake. The median vitamin D intakes for the Czech population (aged 4–90 years, both genders) were within a range of 2.5–5.1 μg/day. The highest median intake, excluding dietary supplements, was observed in men aged 18–64, and the lowest was observed in children aged 4–6 and girls aged 11–17. The main sources in the diet were hen eggs (21–28% of usual dietary intake), fine bakery wares (11–19%), cow’s milk and dairy products (7–23%), meat and meat products (4–12%), fish (6–20%), and margarines (7–18%). The dietary intake of vitamin D for more than 95% of the Czech population was below the recommended Dietary Reference Values (DRVs). These findings should encourage public health authorities to support interventions and education and implement new regulatory measures for improving intake.