The idea for this study comes from the diet myth that the cardboard box cereal comes in is more nutritious than the cereal itself. Samples were chosen based on FDA surveys of the most purchased cereals. Instrumental analysis was the primary means of investigation. Inductively coupled plasma was used to test for the minerals in the cereal, such as iron, zinc, magnesium, and calcium. High performance liquid chromatography was used to test for Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E, while capillary electrophoresis was used to test for proteins. Nutritional value was determined through the use of calibration curves and mass percent. Percent error was used to compare the experimental results to the nutrition label on the cereal. Determining the nutritional content of both the cereal and the box will help people to understand what type of cereal is best for their diet.

Investigation of diet myths by instrumental analysis

245th National Meeting (2013)

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