Mineral Profile of Children's Fast Food Menu Samples

Children's fast food menus, including hamburgers served with french fries, dessert, and a soft drink, were analyzed to obtain the mineral profile of trace elements. The developed analytical methodology involved sample digestion under pressure inside a microwave oven with a mixture of HNO3 and H2O2 and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. The method was validated by carrying out the analysis of certified reference materials (NIST 1570a spinach leaves, NCS ZC73016 chicken, and NIST 1568a rice flour) and using recovery experiments. Repeatability was verified by analyzing replicate samples. Twenty-six elements were studied, 12 of which-aluminum, barium, calcium, copper, iron, potassium, lithium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, strontium, and zinc-were quantitatively determined. Results were compared with other studies of fast food and children's menus published in the literature, and the nutritional value of samples was assessed with dietary intake guidelines.