Testing for Lipids (Fats) in a Food Sample

Process
Add the food sample to two cubic centimetres of ethanol
Shake well
Allow to settle in a test tube rack for two minutes
Empty any clear liquid into a test tube containing two cubic centimetres of
distilled water
If the mixture remains clear there are no fats present in the sample
However, if the mixture becomes cloudy there are fats present in the sample
Explanation
This test is called the emulsion test for lipids.
Lipids are insoluble (will not dissolve) in water and soluble (will dissolve) in
ethanol (an alcohol).
After lipids have been dissolved in ethanol and then added to water, they will
form tiny dispersed droplets in the water. This is called an emulsion.
These droplets are formed from a single layer of lipids arranged with their
hydrophobic (water hating) tails pointing inwards.
These droplets scatter light as it passes through the water so it appears white
and cloudy.