Dietary intake methods for estimating food additive intake

Given the wide array of demands on food intake databases for estimating foo d chemical intake, there is no possibility of an all-embracing methodology. Whereas initial estimates should always begin at a crude level, when more refined estimates are needed methodologies range from indirect (household, national level) to direct (retrospective or prospective, individual level). The indirect methods cannot provide data on consumer-only intakes but perc entage households purchasing can be used as a surrogate for percentage indi viduals consuming. For the direct methods, the greater the duration, the hi gher the estimate of percentage consumers and the lower the estimate of int akes among consumers only, In considering excursions above the acceptable d aily intake (ADI), databases need to be constructed which allow estimates o f intake per eating occasion, where intakes at each eating: occasion throug h the day or days are collapsed into intake per day or week, and the possib ility of measuring? excursions above the ADI is lost.