ABSTRACT

The content of calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper and iron in daily food rations of adolescents served in two residential centres in Copper Basin Legnica region and two high schools in Poznań were studied. The content of minerals was determined by two independent methods: chemical analysis and calculation based upon food composition tables. It was found that the calculated results were markedly higher, suggesting that daily meals covered recommended allowances for minerals established for the adolescents group. However, the analytical results were 10% lower on average, but in the case of zinc and magnesium they did not even reach 50% of norms showing that the daily food did not provide sufficient amounts °f minerals for adolescents. 366 D. Olejnik i in. Moreover, analysis of regression showed a significant correlation for the magnesium, iron, zinc and copper content obtained by the two mwthods which allowed to calcalate empirical formulae that may help to establish the content of these elements in daily food with the use of the FOOD computer program.