Jonathan Ramdath

CAPE BIOLOGY UNIT1 FOOD TESTS

LAB: #1 DATE: 12/11/2021
TITLE: Identification of Biochemicals in pure and food samples
AIM: 1.To carry out tests on the pure form of reducing sugars, starch, proteins and lipids to
master techniques and become familiar with the colour changes.
2. To Identify the biochemicals present in pizza, apple, fruit juice and milk.

APPARATUS AND MATERIALS:

Benedicts Solution Water bath
Dilute HCl Tripod Stand
Ethanol Bunsen burner
KOH or NaOH 15 test tubes
CuSo4 Test Tube Holder
Sucrose Solution 5 5ml syringes
Glucose Solution Teat Pipette
Starch Solution Labels
I2/ KI solution Glass Rod
Oil
Egg solution
Milk
Juice
Pizza
Fruit juice
METHOD:
 All food samples were crushed.
 Both crushed food and liquid samples were placed into individual test tubes.
 The following food tests were carried out for each food samples and observations were
recorded.
(A) Benedict’s Test (Reducing Sugar Test)
1. 2 clean Test tubes were labeled R1 and R2. 1cm3 of distilled water was added to R1 and
1cm3 of glucose of R2.
2. 2cm3 of Benedict’s solution was added to each test tube where initial colours were
observed and recorded.
3. Both test tubes were placed in boiling water bath for 2 minutes.
4. On heating, the progress to final colours of each test tubes were observed and recoded.

(B) Non reducing sugar test

1. 2 clean Test tubes were labeled N1 and N2. 1cm3 of distilled water was added to N1 and
1cm3 of sucrose of N2.
2. 2cm3 of hydrochloric acid (HCl) was added to each test tube and was placed to boil in
water bath for 1 minute.
3. After removing, each test tube was neutralized with 2cm3 of sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
until fizzing stopped.
4. Benedict’s solution was carried out as above. (A- Steps 2-4)

(C) Starch Test (Iodine test)

1. 2 clean Test tubes were labeled S1 and S2. 1cm3 of distilled water was added to S1 and
1cm3 of starch of S2.
2. 3 drops of iodine solution were added to each test tube.
3. The initial and final colours of the test tube were observed and recorded in an appropriate
table.

(D) Protein/ Biuret Test

1. 2 clean Test tubes were labeled P1 and P2. 1cm3 of distilled water was added to P1 and
1cm3 of protein of P2.
2. 1cm3 of hydrochloric acid (HCl) was added to each test tube followed by 4 drops of 5%
Copper Sulphate solution (CuSo4), shake gently to mix each test tube.
3. The initial and final colours of the test tube were observed and recorded in an appropriate
table.

(E) Emulsion Test for Lipids

1. 2 clean Test tubes were labeled L1 and L2. 1cm3 of distilled water was added to L1 and
1cm3 of oil of L2.
2. 1cm3 of ethanol was placed into each test tube and was shaken vigorously.
3. Cold distilled water was then poured into each test tube.
4. The initial and final colours of the test tube were observed and recorded in an appropriate
table.
RESULTS: TABLE SHOWING THE COLOUR CHANGES TO IDENTIFY PURE FORM OF
BIOCHEMICALS AND THOSE PRESENT IN FOODS

TEST SAMPLE OBSERVATIONS INFERENCE

TESTED
STARCH TEST Starch Solution Changed to blue black colour Positive
Pizza Changed to blue black colour Positive
Apple No colour change Negative
Milk Colour changed to yellow Negative
Juice Colour changed to dark yellow Negative
PROTEIN TEST Egg Solution Light mauve colour developed Positive
Pizza Light mauve colour developed Positive
Apple Colour changed to green Negative
Milk Light mauve colour developed Positive
Juice No colour changed observed Negative
LIPIDS TEST Oil Cloudy white suspension Positive
Pizza Cloud White suspension Positive
Apple No colour change Negative
Milk No colour change Negative
Juice No colour change Negative
REDUCING SUGAR Glucose Solution Red precipitate was formed Positive
TEST
Sucrose No colour changed was formed Negative
Pizza Orange precipitate was formed Positive
Apple Red precipitate was formed Positive
Milk Green colour change Positive
Juice Orange precipitate was formed Positive
NON-REDUCING Sucrose Solution Bright orange precipitate was Positive
SUGAR TEST formed
Milk No colour change Negative
Apple Red precipitate was formed Positive
Juice Orange precipitate was formed Negative
Pizza Orange Precipitate was formed Negative
DISCUSSION:
Food tests are done to identify the biomolecules present in food. Examples of biomolecules are
complex carbohydrates, proteins or lipids. Reducing sugars are identified using benedict’s
solution in which they go from blue to green to yellow to orange finally brick red. Heating
Speeds up the reaction. Benedict's solution is blue as it contains Cu2+ ions which give the
solution that colour. Reducing sugars are so called because they reduce the blue copper ions
(Cu2+) to red (Cu+). Non-reducing sugars first undergo acid hydrolysis using dilute HCl where it
is then followed by Benedict's solution to give colours listed above.

Starch (complex carbohydrate) causes yellow iodine to become blue black. Lipids is identified
using the Emulsion test where alcohol dissolves the oil; forming globules of milky white fat
when water is added. Proteins are polypeptides made from amino acids held together by peptide
bonds. They are identified using the biuret test where a reagent made of sodium hydroxide and
copper sulphate which is blue in colour will react with peptide bonds and turn purple in colour.

If a food contains reducing sugars you should also carry out the non-reducing sugar test as non-
reducing sugars cannot reduce (Cu2+) ions and need to be neutralized under acid hydrolysis to
then give the colour changes necessary. The purpose of HCl and NaOH in the non-reducing
sugar test is to neutralize the acidic solution. The food samples were cut into small pieces and
dissolved in water before conducting the food tests so that the reagents could work faster.

It was found that pizza contained starch, protein, lipids and little reducing sugars. Apple
contained high reducing and non-reducing sugars. Milk contained high protein and little reducing
sugars and fruit juice contained little reducing sugars. For a baby; milk would be best to feed
them, a young boy; apple and juice and for an adult; pizza, juice and apple.

REFLECTION:
A better understanding of food tests and how to use apparatus in the lab was gained. Knowledge
of biochemicals, chemicals and their uses and identifying biochemicals in food by observing
colour changes was gained. Knowledge of the chemistry involved in the procedure of food tests
was gained.

CONCLUSION:
Food tests were carried out on the pure form of reducing sugars, starch, proteins and lipids. It
was found that pizza contained starch, protein, lipids and reducing sugars. Apple contained
reducing and non-reducing sugars. Milk contained protein and reducing sugars and fruit juice
contained reducing sugars.