NOVELO, SOPHIA MARGARETTE P.
JANUARY 30, 2023
BSMT 2A-3
I. OBJECTIVES:
1. To introduce the characteristics and chemical properties of lipids.
2. To distinguish and classify different types of lipids based on chemical reactions.
3. To detect the presence of lipids and related substances in each sample.
4. To know the difference between fats and oils.
II. ABSTRACT OF THE EXPERIMENT:
In biochemistry, biomolecules that are characterized as insoluble in aqueous solutions (most
especially with a water solvent) and soluble in organic solvents are classified as lipids. Lipids are
polymers of fatty acids that consists of a long, non-polar hydrocarbon chain with a small polar region
containing oxygen.
Lipids can be classified into two categories: saponifiable and non-saponifiable lipids.
Saponifiable lipids contain ester linkages and can be hydrolyzed smaller molecules (e.g., triglycerides,
glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, and waxes). On the other hand, non-saponifiable lipids do not
contain ester linkages and cannot be hydrolyzed into smaller molecules (e.g., fat-soluble vitamins A
and E, prostaglandins, and cholesterol).
The human body utilizes lipids as structural components of biological membranes, energy
storage, and other metabolic functions such as body insulation, digestion, absorption of vitamins, and
the like. Lipids can be produced in the liver, during a process called fatty acid synthesis. Fatty acids
are synthesized within the cytoplasm of hepatocytes, following maximal conversion of glucose to
glycogen, which is stored and later consumed. Aside from the body’s natural mechanism, lipids can
also be obtained by consuming food sources. Examples of these food are meat, dairy products, and
cooking oils.
To know if a certain type of food contains lipids or not, the lipid test or brown paper test is
performed. Brown paper bags are made of a type of paper that easily absorbs oils and fats when on
food, which decreases the scattering of light on its surface, making it appear darker in color and
translucent.
III. KEYWORDS:
lipids, lipid test, brown paper test, brown bag, biochemistry, fats, oils, non-polarity, non-
polar, food samples, translucent paper, lipid absorption, fatty acids test
IV. MATERIALS:
Brown paper bag (at least 5 x 3 x 8 inches to 8.5 x 5 x 12 inches)
Scissors
Pen (for labelling each brown paper setup w/ sample)
Small measuring spoons (at least two 1/8 teaspoon sized spoons; ideal – one for
each food sample)
Stopwatch, watch, or timer
Food containers (could be small Tupperware/s, glass jar/s, plate/s) with food
samples inside (spam, coke, gelatin, potato, coconut oil, full fat/whole milk,
honey, starch, and other food samples that you want to test)
V. PROCEDURE:
1. Prepare all the materials. Make sure that each food sample is prepared separately.
2. Cut the brown paper bag into small squares (at least 2 x 2 inches in size).
3. Using the small measuring spoons, smear each food sample (1/8 teaspoon each) onto
each piece of cut brown paper. Label each paper with the corresponding food sample.
4. Let it stay on the paper for about 10 to 15 minutes until it dries up.
5. If the paper becomes translucent or clear (almost see through to from the other side)
then the sample is classified as a lipid.
6. Fill out the table below with the results from your observations:
FOOD SAMPLE OBSERVATION + OR – (+ IF
TRANSLUCENT, - IF NOT)
Butter The paper bag became +
translucent.
Coconut Oil The paper bag became +
translucent.
Spam The paper bag became +
translucent.
Coke The paper bag did not become -
translucent.
Potato The paper bag did not become -
translucent.
Honey The paper bag did not become -
translucent.
Starch The paper bag did not become -
translucent.
Milk The paper bag became +
translucent.
Gelatin The paper bag did not become -
translucent.
*ideal sample results, results may vary depending on the variety of food samples used.
VI. ANALYSIS:
Overall, the procedures and materials required to perform the experiment are easily obtainable
and easy to follow, though there are possible errors that could be encountered especially when
performing its procedures:
If the number of measuring spoons prepared are not enough, measuring spoons should be
washed after every smear to avoid mixing the food samples together.
The ideal amount of food samples smeared on each brown paper is about 1/8 teaspoons.
This is because putting too much of each of the samples may prolong the drying process
of the brown paper.
Make sure to bring a bit more than the measurements mentioned in the materials to have
back-up resources in case a mistake or an error occurred while performing the
experiment.
Using plant-based, non-fat, or low-fat milk may alter the results of the milk sample since
these types of milk could only retain 2% of fat and even none at all. Make sure to specify
the type of milk used in the experiment.
VII. CONCLUSION:
Lipids have a variety of distinct properties from other biomolecules, including the ability to
be either liquid or solid, allowing them to be categorized as either fats or oils. They are greasy,
energy-rich organic molecules, can be classified as saponifiable or non-saponifiable, and are non-
polar molecules, which makes them soluble in organic compounds like alcohol and benzene but
insoluble in water. These characteristics of lipids were revealed by the experiment and later shown in
the data gathered.
To demonstrate the following properties mentioned through the experiment, a brown paper
bag that had been cut into small sheets was used. To determine whether a sample is a lipid, samples
such as butter, coconut oil, spam, coke, potatoes, honey, starch, milk, and gelatin were applied to
sheets of paper and allowed to sit there for a specified amount of time. If the paper became translucent
or clear as a result, a positive result was obtained, indicating that the sample was a lipid. Only four out
of the nine samples had lipid-like characteristics, according to the results. These four samples have, as
predicted, created a translucent shape on the paper.
The eccentricities of lipids can be used to explain this outcome. Brown paper sheets absorbed
the fatty acid-containing triglycerides, which later transformed into grease stains. The fat inhibits or
lessens the scattering of light as it is absorbed by the paper, causing it to refract and appear
translucent.
