Consumers are unable to assess the risks posed by toxic chemicals and nutritional imbalances in the foods they consume. Therefore, monitoring chemicals in the food supply is essential to protect public health. The protection of our diets from these hazards must be considered one of the most important public health services of any country, which is the main purpose of total diet studies (TDS). TDS is the analysis of the foods we eat for contaminants (such as lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, PCBs, dioxins) and toxic chemicals (such as pesticides) through monitoring and surveillance programs to check if the levels in foods and the dietary intakes of contaminants and chemicals are within national and international guidelines. International organizations and many countries recognize the TDS approach as one of the most cost effective means for generally assuring the dietary intake of chemicals is within safe limits and for setting priorities for further study. Total Diet Studies introduces the concept of TDS to a wider audience and illustrates how TDS is used to protect public health from chemicals in the food supply in a number of countries. The book also examines some of the applications of TDS to specific chemicals, including contaminants and nutrients.