The estimation of food consumption, the intake of nutrients and exposure to contaminants is of increasing interest in Public Health as a basis for directing Food Safety and Nutrition lines of action and as a predictive method for determining the state of health of a population.  

In addition, one of the basic pillars on which risk assessment is founded is knowledge about the true levels of exposure of a population. This is why, when considering food safety, the availability of food consumption data which permits the use of correct methods of assessment is essential.

The dietary surveys provide a quantitative and qualitative estimate of a food or group of foods in an individual over a set period of time.

The data collected provide information about eating habits, and the quality of diets as well as helping to assess exposure to dietary risks.

In Spain, the Spanish Agency for Food Safety (AESAN) conducted a National Survey of Spanish Dietary Intake (ENIDE) on the adult population. In addition to this survey made at national level in Spain, other surveys on a regional or local level have been carried out by different local governments and institutions.

In Europe, in recent years the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has been assuming a major role in the collection of food consumption data from the different Member States, and has published a European Food Consumption Database. In addition, to improve the quality of the data collected in Europe and to make comparison easier, it has published a guide to conducting food consumption surveys, using a food classification and coding system to enable the data to be generally used throughout Europe.