BfR-MEAL. First German Total Diet Study. Meals for dietary exposure assessment and food analytics

Food borne diseases are one of the major health problems worldwide. In the 21st century food processing and environmental impacts are getting increasingly in focus of dietary health concern. National food surveillance programs are monitoring high risk foods in a targeted approach. However, a more comprehensive monitoring with representative data for a whole population is needed to get a realistic picture of the overall exposure to chemicals and nutrients. Therefore, Germany started the first national TDS in 2015. The German TDS involves analysis of nine substance groups ('modules'), which will lead to a modular structure. Environmental contaminates have been chosen as 'core module' due to their ubiquitous occurrence. The core food list (max. 350 food groups) will be established through national food consumption surveys covering the age groups between 0.5 - 80 years. The estimated 25.000 single food items will be purchased considering regions, seasons, and production (organic vs. conventional). Centralized in Berlin, they will be prepared as consumed, homogenized, deep frozen and then delivered to contract laboratories for analysis. The stratification strategy for the core module will serve as basis for the modules veterinary drugs, mycotoxins, perfluorinated tensides (PFTs), pesticides and nutrients. The modules process contaminants, food additives and substances migrating from food packaging will require a more refined level of pooling according type of preparation, authorization and food packaging respectively, compared with the core module. In total the sampling of ~ 60.000 single food items is expected to cover each module. This innovative approach of using overlapping modules in a TDS will lead to the best possible balance between scientific requirements and financial and structural capacities. On the national level, results are highly relevant to close existent data gaps in concentration for contaminants, especially for processing related substances (e.g. process contaminants), of which a TDS is the only methodical tool to assess exposure. The results will be the basis for risk management decisions as well as for risk communication and can advise the food monitoring program to ensure food safety in Germany. On the European level, data can provide support for EFSA opinions in relation to foodborne risks.