NUTRIENTS AND CHEMICAL RESIDUES IN AN EGYPTIAN TOTAL MIXED DIET

A mixed diet composite (EGYPT-DIET95) was prepared to represent the in take of Egyptian urban adults. Proximate analyses and assays for selec ted toxic elements, as well as organic chloro compounds, were carried out on this composite using well established methods and certified RMs (reference materials). The analysis of the composite diet demonstrate s its usefulness for assessment of daily intakes. Calculated daily int akes of toxic substances were compared with the Acceptable Daily Intak e of Coder Alimentarius (1984). The amounts of mercury and nitrates in Egyptian total-diet samples are of health concern. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.