2.2.3

Required Practical - Food Testing

Test yourself

Testing for Carbohydrates, Lipids and Proteins

Reagents can be used to test for the presence of various food substances. The first step is to grind up the food and add distilled water to dissolve some of the food. You can then test for the food substances:

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Starch

  • To test for starch, add iodine solution.
  • It will turn blue-black if starch is present.
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Glucose

  • To test for small sugars like glucose, add Benedict’s reagent and heat for about two minutes.
  • It will turn any of green, yellow or red if sugar is present.
  • The colour depends on the concentration.
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Proteins

  • To test for proteins, add Biuret solution.
  • It will turn mauve or purple if proteins are present.
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Lipids

  • To test for lipids, add ethanol and water and shake.
  • If lipids are present, a white emulsion (cloudy liquid) will form.
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Calorimetry

  • We can also test the calorie (energy) content of foods:
    • Burn a known mass of the food under a boiling tube filled with a known volume of water.
    • Calculate the change in temperature of the water.

Jump to other topics

1The Nature & Variety of Living Organisms

2Structure & Functions in Living Organisms

3Organism Functions

3.1Respiration

3.2Gas Exchange

3.3Transport

3.4Excretion

3.5Coordination & Response

4Reproduction & Inheritance

5Ecology

6Biological Resources

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