US EPA

EPA released the final report, Analysis of Total Food Intake and Composition of Individual’s Diet Based on USDA’s 1994-1996, 98 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII). The consumption of food by the general population is a significant route of potential exposure to hazardous substances that are present in the environment. For this reason, a thorough analysis of the dietary habits of the American public would aid in the identification of potential exposure pathways. To that end, the EPA developed per capita food intake rates for various food items and food categories using databases developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). These intake rates were incorporated into EPA's 1997 Exposure Factors Handbook. Since that time, EPA has recommended that the food intake study be updated and expanded to include a more comprehensive analysis of food intake. That analysis is presented in this document.

The purpose of this study is to characterize the consumption of food by the people of the United States. This characterization includes

1. quantification of total food intake among various subgroups of the U.S. population, subdivided on the basis of age, race, geographic region, and urbanization;
2. quantification of the consumption of various food categories, e.g. meats, grains, vegetables, etc., by different age groups within the U.S. population; and
3. quantification of the consumption of various food categories by individuals exhibiting unusual consumption patterns of one specific food category, e.g., consumption behavior for individuals above the 90th percentile for meat consumption.

The results of the analysis, presented in a series of figures and tables, provide a tool for the examination of food consumption at a high level of detail. They allow exposure assessors and risk analysts to identify target populations for intensive study and to identify food-specific exposure pathways for the general population or for individual groups.

The purpose of this study is to characterize the consumption of food by the people of the United States.

With the report finalized and posted, data from this report will be referenced into the revisions to EPA's Exposure Factors Handbook (EFH) and the Child-Specific Exposure Factors Handbook (CSEFH).

U.S. EPA. Analysis Of Total Food Intake And Composition Of Individual's Diet Based On The U.S. DEPArtment Of Agriculture's 1994-96, 1998 Continuing Survey Of Food Intakes By Individuals (CSFII) (2005, Final Report). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/600/R-05/062F, 2005.