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Food Chemistry Testing
Introduction
The nutrients in the food you eat supply your body with energy for growth and repair. These principle substancesinclude carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins.Carbohydrates make up a group of organic compounds that include sugars and starches, which are important insupplying your body with energy. Some starches provide your body with indigestible fiber, or roughage, which aidsdigestion.Proteins are organic compounds important for growth and repair. Lipids (e.g. fats) are organic compounds that cansupply as much as four times the amount of energy as carbohydrates or proteins.Vitamins aid in growth and also help to protect the body from disease.
Using Chemical Indicators
We can test for the presence of these important compounds in food by using chemical reagents that react inpredictable ways in the presence of these nutrients.Work in an area appropriate for handling chemicals that may stain furniture or the floor if spilled. Wear proper safetyequipment including goggles, rubber gloves and a lab apron.Outlined below are just the basic test procedures required to use these test solutions. You may wish to expand onthem and design your own food testing project.
Supplies needed:
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Glass marking pen (Sharpie or China marker).
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Hot water.
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Nutrient solutions to be tested (made from foods you wish to test for sugar, starch, protein, fat,and vitamin C content).
Food Test 1: Sugar test-Benedict's solution
Benedict's solutionis used to test for simple sugars, such as glucose. It is a clear blue solution of sodium and coppersalts. In the presence of simple sugars, the blue solution changes color to green, yellow, and brick-red, depending on theamount of sugar.
What to do.
1.Mix small amount of each food sample with distilled water to make a test liquid.2.To a test tube, add 40 drops of liquid to be tested.3.If testing more than one liquid, label each test tube with a marker.4.Add 10 drops of Benedict's solution to each test tube. Carefully heat the test tubes bysuspending in a hot water bath at about 40-50 degrees celsius for five minutes.5.Note any color change. If sugar is present solution will turn green, yellow, or brick-red,depending on sugar concentration.
Food Test 2: Starch - Lugol's iodine
Lugol's iodineis used to identify the presence of starch. The solution is yellow-brown, but when it reacts chemicallywith starch, a blue-black substance called ìiodide starchî is produced. In this test we will place drops of Lugol's Iodine intotwo test tubes. One containing a sample of starch powder and the other a piece of bread. In the end, the test tubesample with the darkest coloring will contain more starch then the other.
Caution:
Observe proper laboratory safety. Lugol's Iodine will stain so wear gloves, a lab apron, and safety goggles.
What to do.
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For this demonstration we use test tubes with a test tube rack, a dropper, distilled water, Lugol's Iodine and foodsamples to test.
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Prepare three test tubes with samples. The first with just distilled water (our control), the second with starch powder inwater, and the third with a piece of bread in water..
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Add three (3) drops of Lugols Iodine to each test tube sample. Agitate sample and mix thoroughly.
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Observe any color change. If starch is present, a blue-black precipitate will form. Compare color of each sample.Darker blue-black represents more starch present. In our test shown here, the starch powder is darker than the bread.
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