In the French Dioxin and Incinerators Study, serum analysis of dioxins, furans and PCBs were performed in 1030 adults randomly selected to identify the determinants of the body-burden of these compounds in the population living around waste incinerators. The data were analyzed for each congener separately. We found that many factors such as individual characteristics must be taken into account as confounding factors. For most congeners, the relationship between consumption of animal food products locally-produced and serum dioxin levels was more significant and stronger for people living around incinerators than for non-exposed people, particularly for 2,3,7,8 TCDD, 1,2,3,7,8 PCDD, 1,2,3,6,7,8 HCDD, 1,2,3,6,7,8 HCDF, 2,3,4,6,7,8 HCDF and PCB114. (R.A.)