EXPERIMENT 04

ISOLATION OF
CARBOHYDRATES
WITH QUALITATIVE
TESTS
PRESENTED BY MONIRA H. ADAM
Isolating carbohydrates through qualitative
tests involves a series of chemical reactions
to identify the presence of specific
carbohydrates. Typically, these tests exploit
the unique properties of carbohydrates,
such as their reducing or non-reducing
nature, solubility, and reaction with certain
reagents.
c
WHAT ARE THEY?
They serve as a primary
source of energy for living
organisms and are
classified into sugars,
starches, and fibers.
 WHAT DO THEY DO?

As one of the 5 main food

groups, they provide our
bodies with energy (calories)
to function.

They should make up simply over a third of your diet.

DATA / RESULTS
A. Physical Test for Starch

Color off-white / cream-colored

Odor stale / musty
Taste bland
Smell stale / musty
Solubility in Water insoluble
pH 7 (neutral)
Texture and Appearance powdery
Percentage Yield
Weight of Sample 10 g
Weight of Evaporating dish 38.2 g
Weight of Evaporating dish + Starch 40.2 g
Weight of Starch alone 2g
Percentage Yield 20%

Computation:
formula: Percentage (%) = (Weight of Starch / Weight of Plant Sample) x 100
solution:
% = (2g / 10g) x 100
% = 0.2 x 100
% = 20
Chemical Test of Starch
The most commonly used chemical test for starch is the iodine test. In this
test, a small amount of iodine solution (usually iodine dissolved in potassium
iodide) is added to the sample containing starch. If starch is present, the
iodine forms a complex with the starch molecules, resulting in a
characteristic blue-black color change. This color change is a reliable
indicator of the presence of starch and is widely used in various laboratory
and industrial applications for the detection and quantification of starch.

Microscope view of Starch

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS
▪ Describe the different components of starch.
Starch is composed of two main components.
✓ Amylase – a linear polymer of glucose units linked, forming a helical structure and is
typically present in starch in smaller quantities.
✓ Amylopectin – branched polymer of glucose units; a highly branched structure and
accounts for the majority of the starch molecule’s mass.

▪ List the components of pectin, protopectin, pectic acid, and pectinic acid.

Pectin Protopectin Pectin Acid Pectinic Acid

consists primarily of precursor of pectin formed when pectin further degraded form
linear chains of α-1,4- found in unripe fruits. It undergoes de- of pectin, characterized
linked D-galacturonic mainly comprises esterification, resulting by a higher degree of
acid residues, with partially methyl- in the release of de-esterification, leading
occasional side chains of esterified galacturonic methanol and the to more free carboxyl
other sugars like acid residues. formation of carboxyl groups along the
rhamnose, arabinose, groups (COOH) along galacturonic acid chains
and galactose. the galacturonic acid compared to pectic acid.
chains.
▪ Why are the carbohydrate rich plants is suited for wine making? Explain the metabolic process
of wine making.
Carbohydrate-rich plants, such as grapes, provide the necessary sugars for fermentation,
leading to the production of alcohol in the winemaking process, having them well-suited for
winemaking. During winemaking, these sugars are converted into alcohol by yeast through
fermentation. The process of winemaking includes:
1. Harvesting
2. Crushing
3. Fermentation
4. Aging:
5. Clarification and Filtration
6. Bottling

▪ What are the chemical properties of monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides?

Monosaccharide Disaccharide Polysaccharide

contain a single polyhydroxy consist of two containing monosaccharides
aldehyde or ketone unit (e.g., monosaccharide units linked which are linked by glycosidic
glucose, fructose, galactose). together by a covalent bond bonds or covalently bonded
(e.g., sucrose). to other molecules such as
peptides, amino acids, and
lipids.
▪ What are oligosaccharides? Describe its chemical composition.
Oligosaccharides are carbohydrates composed of a small number (usually 3 to 10) of
monosaccharide units linked together by glycosidic bonds. Their chemical composition is
similar to that of polysaccharides but with fewer monosaccharide units.
That’s all, Thank you for listening.