The mean dietary exposure to the nutrient elements iodine, Fe, Se and Na by eight age-sex groups of the New Zealand population was estimated from foods purchased and prepared as for consumption. A total of 968 samples comprising 121 foods were collected and analysed. Mean daily exposures were calculated from mean concentration levels of the selected nutrients in each food combined with simulated diets for a 25 þ -yearold male and female, a 19-24-year-old male, a 11-14-year-old boy and girl, a 5-6-year-old child, a 1 -3-year-old toddler and a 6-12-month-old infant. Food concentrations and dietary exposures are reported and compared with nutrient reference values (for example, recommended daily intakes, adequate intakes or upper limits). Dietary iodine exposures for all age -sex groups were well below recommended levels and have steadily decreased since 1982, raising concern especially for the physical and mental development of infants and young children. Fe exposures meet the recommended daily intake for the average male and 11-14 year olds but are only about half that recommended for adult females. Se exposure is about 20 % less than optimal for females. Na exposures, excluding discretionary salt, are above the acceptable exposure level for all age -sex groups, and exceed the upper intake limits for 25 þ -year-old males, 19-24-year-old young males, and 11-14-year-old boys and girls by up to 125 % for an average consumer.

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A survey of the pesticide content of 25 commercially available infant formulae and 30 weaning foods available in New Zealand was undertaken in 1996. It included a representative mixture of imported and New Zealand manufactured infant foods. Three different pesticide screening techniques were used: a high-sensitivity organochlorine screen was carried out on all infant formulae, while a multiresidue screen (organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides, synthetic pyrethroids, carbamate pesticides, fungicides and herbicides), and a specific screen for dithiocarbamate fungicides were both carried out on all weaning foods and on soy-based infant formulae. All results are expressed on a ready-to-feed basis. Extremely low levels of residues of three organochlorine compounds (p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDT and dieldrin) were detected in infant formulae samples. Residues of p,p'-DDE were found in seven of 20 milk-based infant formulae at concentrations ranging from 0.03 to 0.5 microgram kg(-1). Residues of p,p'-DDT were found in one imported milk-based infant formula at 0.7 microgram kg(-1), and dieldrin residues were detected in four of five soy-based infant formulae at concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 0.08 microgram kg(-1). The multiresidue pesticide screen detected low levels of residues of two organophosphorus pesticides; azinphos-methyl in one soy-based infant formula at a level of 22 microgram kg(-1) and pirimiphos-methyl in two cereal-based weaning foods at concentrations of 5 and 14 microgram kg(-1). None of the other approximately 140 pesticides (including fungicides and herbicides) included in the multiresidue screen were detected in any weaning foods or soy-based infant formulae, at a detection limit of 10 microgram kg(-1). No residues of dithiocarbamate fungicides were detected in any product analysed, at a detection limit of 100 microgram kg(-1).

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