Restaurant and fast food

35 products, 35 with published lab results.

Typical levels

FDA doesn't test this exact kind of food; these are the closest foods it does test.

Cadmium: typically 20.8 ppb (FDA, 108 samples, 2017-2020). A toddler reaches EPA's daily limit at about 680 g (24 oz) a day; an adult at about 3.2 kg (7.1 lb).
One serving (100 g (3½ oz)):
15% of a toddler's daily limit
3% of a adult's daily limit
Arsenic (total): typically 2.03 ppb (FDA, 108 samples, 2017-2020). No US agency limit we can cite.
Perchlorate: typically 2.83 ppb (FDA, 60 samples, 2008-2012). A toddler reaches EPA's daily limit at about 2 kg (4.4 lb) a day; an adult at about 9.5 kg (21 lb).
One serving (100 g (3½ oz)):
5% of a toddler's daily limit
1% of a adult's daily limit
Lead, Mercury: usually below 4 ppb, the lab's limit, in FDA's samples.

FDA samples behind these numbers

Lead in Chicken breast, fried with skin, fast-food: found in 1 of 27, average 0.29, highest 7.8 ppb (2017-2020)
Lead in Chicken nuggets, fast-food: found in 1 of 27, average 0.16, highest 4.3 ppb (2017-2020)
Lead in Pizza, cheese, fast-food: found in 2 of 27, average 0.32, highest 4.6 ppb (2017-2020)
Lead in Potatoes, French fries, fast-food: found in 1 of 27, average 0.56, highest 15 ppb (2017-2020)
Cadmium in Chicken breast, fried with skin, fast-food: found in 27 of 27, average 3.78, highest 5.8 ppb (2017-2020)
Cadmium in Chicken nuggets, fast-food: found in 27 of 27, average 5.7, highest 8.3 ppb (2017-2020)
Cadmium in Pizza, cheese, fast-food: found in 27 of 27, average 20.6, highest 25 ppb (2017-2020)
Cadmium in Potatoes, French fries, fast-food: found in 27 of 27, average 57.9, highest 100 ppb (2017-2020)
Mercury in Chicken breast, fried with skin, fast-food: found in 0 of 27, all below 1 ppb (2017-2020)
Mercury in Chicken nuggets, fast-food: found in 0 of 27, all below 1 ppb (2017-2020)
Mercury in Pizza, cheese, fast-food: found in 0 of 27, all below 1 ppb (2017-2020)
Mercury in Potatoes, French fries, fast-food: found in 0 of 27, all below 1 ppb (2017-2020)
Arsenic (total) in Chicken breast, fried with skin, fast-food: found in 5 of 27, average 0.61, highest 4.1 ppb (2017-2020)
Arsenic (total) in Chicken nuggets, fast-food: found in 4 of 27, average 0.56, highest 4.8 ppb (2017-2020)
Arsenic (total) in Pizza, cheese, fast-food: found in 25 of 27, average 3.74, highest 6 ppb (2017-2020)
Arsenic (total) in Potatoes, French fries, fast-food: found in 23 of 27, average 3.97, highest 6.4 ppb (2017-2020)
Perchlorate in Chicken breast, fried, fast-food (w/ skin): found in 10 of 20, average 5.42, highest 36 ppb (2008-2012)
Perchlorate in Chicken nuggets, fast-food: found in 13 of 20, average 3.42, highest 12.5 ppb (2008-2012)
Perchlorate in Potato, french-fried, fast-food: found in 14 of 20, average 6.68, highest 19 ppb (2008-2012)

"Typically" is FDA's middle sample. Daily amounts use the long-run average and each chemical's daily limit (EPA reference dose, or FDA's level for lead) for a 33-lb toddler and a 154-lb adult. ppb = micrograms per kilogram of food. Source: FDA Total Diet Study.

How the tested products compare

Each dot is one tested product (its middle sample), on a log scale in ppb; the line is FDA's typical level. Hover or tap a dot for its name.

DEHP · 35 products

DBP · 35 products

DIBP · 35 products

Tested products

Median of each product's samples, in ppb (parts per billion), counting samples below the lab's limit. “<10” means the median is below the lab's limit of 10; “–” means not tested for that chemical.

Product	DEHP	DBP	DIBP	BBP	DEP	DMP
Amy's Black Bean Vegetable Burrito After Microwave	12	<10	<10	<5	<10	<5
Amy's Black Bean Vegetable Burrito Before Microwave	11	<10	<10	<5	<10	<5
Annie's Organic Classic Cheddar Mac and Cheese	17	<10	<10	<5	<10	<5
Big Tech Campus Dining Meal	<10	<10	<10	<5	<10	<5
Burger King Chicken Nuggets	38	12	<10	<5	<10	5.5
Burger King Whopper with Cheese	34	15	<10	<5	<10	<5
Butter Chicken - SF Indian Restaurant	32.7	19.5	11.2	<5	20.3	<5
Butter Chicken - SF Indian Restaurant - Takeout Container (45min)	37	29.6	32.2	<5	<10	<5
Chick-fil-A Deluxe Sandwich	39	17	<10	<5	<10	<5
Chick-fil-A Market Salad	<10	<10	<10	<5	<10	<5
Chick-fil-A Nuggets	37	<10	<10	<5	<10	6.6
Chicken Tikka Masala from Indian Restaurant	13	16	<10	<5	19	<5
Chicken Tikka Masala from Indian Restaurant after 45 Min in Takeout Container	11	12	<10	<5	15	<5
Chipotle Burrito with Red Beans Veggies Chicken and Sour Cream	52.9	<10	<10	<5	19.4	<5
In-n-Out Cheeseburger Animal Style	31	<10	<10	<5	<10	<5
Kraft Mac & Cheese After Microwave	<10	<10	<10	<5	<10	<5
Kraft Mac & Cheese Before Microwave	10	<10	<10	<5	<10	<5
McDonald's Chicken McNuggets	17	<10	<10	<5	<10	<5
McDonald's Quarter Pounder with Cheese	29	14	<10	<5	<10	<5
Shake Shack Cheeseburger	105	16	<10	<5	<10	<5
Shake Shack Chicken Bites	29	<10	13	<5	<10	<5
Starbucks Bacon Gruyere Egg Bites Warmed	17	<10	<10	<5	<10	<5
Starbucks Sausage Cheddar Egg Breakfast Sandwich Warmed	11	<10	<10	<5	<10	<5
Starbucks Spinach Feta Wrap Warmed	76	<10	<10	<5	<10	<5
Subway Chocolate Chip Cookie	150	46	<10	<5	200	<5
Subway Sub Grilled Chicken 6 Inch	22	<10	<10	<5	12	<5
Subway Sub Tuna 6 Inch	73	<10	<10	<5	<10	<5
Sweetgreen Chicken Pesto Parm Salad	35.6	18	12	<5	<10	<5
Taco Bell Big Cheez-It Crunchwrap Supreme	18	<10	<10	<5	<10	<5
Taco Bell Cantina Chicken Burrito	24	18	<10	<5	<10	<5
Taco Bell Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco	22	12	<10	<5	<10	<5
Trader Joe's Frozen Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice After Microwave	11	<10	<10	<5	<10	<5
Trader Joe's Frozen Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice Before Microwave	22	<10	<10	<5	<10	<5
Wendy's Crispy Chicken Nuggets	24	<10	<10	<5	<10	<5
Wendy's Dave's Single with Cheese	29	20	<10	<5	<10	<5