Title: Food Tests
Aim: To determine the nutrients present in food samples
Apparatus/Materials: Petri dishes, water, Benedict’s solution, hot plate, boiling tubes, boiling
tube rack, Iodine solution, droppers, ethanol, Biuret’s reagent, beaker, crushed food samples:
cooked rice, cheese, sausage, bread, banana, peanuts.
Method#1: Testing for starch (Iodine test)
1. Add a 5g cooked rice to a petri dish.
2. Add drops of Iodine solution to cover entire food sample.
3. Make and record your observations.
4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 for using 5g of the other food samples.
Method#2: Testing for reducing sugar (Benedict’s test)
1. Half fill a beaker with water and heat it so that it boils.
2. Add 5g of cooked rice to a boiling tube.
3. Add 5 cm3 of Benedict’s solution to the food sample.
4. Place the boiling tube in the hot water and leave for five minutes.
5. Make and record your observations.
6. Repeat steps 1 to 5 for using 5g of the other food samples.
Method#3: Testing for fats (Emulsion test)
1. Add 5cm3 of water to another boiling tube.
2. Add 5cm3 of ethanol to another boiling tube.
3. Add 5g of cooked rice into the boiling tube containing ethanol.
4. Shake this tube for 30 seconds.
5. Pour the liquid portion into the water.
6. Make and record your observations.
7. Repeat steps 1 to 6 for using 5g of the other food samples.
Method#4: Testing for protein (Biuret test)
1. Add 5cm3 of Biuret’s reagent to a boiling tube.
2. Add 5g of cooked rice to the boiling tube and shake for 1 minute.
3. Make and record your observations.
4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 for using 5g of the other food samples.
Diagram:
Observations/results:
- Method#1: Testing for starch (Iodine test)
The iodine test is to check if starch is present in the cooked rice. After using the iodine
test the rice color was changed to a dark-purple color.
- Method#2: Testing for reducing sugar (Benedict’s test)
The color was change to a yellowish color which indicate reducing sugar.
- Method#3: Testing for fats (Emulsion test)
The appearance of the ethanol was change due to its ability to dissolve certain compound
from the rice.
- Method#4: Testing for protein (Biuret test)
The color was change to a pinkish color which indicate the presence of protein of the
rice.
Discussion:
In Method #1: Testing for Starch (Iodine Test) the color was changed to a dark-purple color.
In Method #2: Testing for Reducing Sugar (Benedict’s Test) the color was changed to a
yellowish color.
In Method #3: Testing for Fats (Emulsion Test) the liquid portion turn into water.
In Method #4: Testing for Protein (Biuret Test) the color was changed to a pinkish color.
Conclusion: Each method is used to detect components in the cooked rice. The change of color
indicates to indicate the presence of different chemical.
