Vitamin and proximate composition of fast-food fried chicken

As part of the USDA's effort to obtain accurate data for nutrient composition handbooks, we determined proximate composition and vitamin (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folacin, pantothenic acid, and vitamins B-6 and B-12) content of fast-food fried chicken. Ninety-four samples were purchased from six chains in 10 cities throughout the United States. Vitamin content of breast and thigh meat portions differed, and slight differences in composition among brands were noted. Thiamin values for breast and thigh muscle, respectively, ranged from 0.062 to 0.136 and from 0.078 to 0.122 mg/100 gm; riboflavin, from 0.176 to 0.205 and 0.249 to 0.328 mg/100 gm; niacin, from 6.32 to 8.46 and 3.86 to 5.57 mg/100 gm; vitamin B-6, from 0.315 to 0.390 and 0.189 to 0.271 mg/100 gm; folacin, from 4.2 to 6.9 and 5.00 to 8.00 micrograms/100 gm; vitamin B-12, from 0.331 to 0.459 and 0.382 to 0.596 micrograms/100 gm; and pantothenic acid, from 1.48 to 1.68 and 1.58 to 1.77 mg/100 gm. Pressure-fried samples tended to have higher percentage moisture and lower percentage fat than crispy, open-vat fried samples. Fat ranged from about 15% to 20%.