ANIMAL Nutrition
Diet
A balanced diet is a meal that contains all necessary nutrients required by the body of an individual
in the correct proportions.
Age
Growing children normally have a higher basal metabolic rate than older people because they
require more energy for growth hence require a higher intake of carbohydrates. In adults the basal
metabolic rate tends to decrease slowly throughout life. Growing children also need more proteins
than adult for the formation of new tissues required for their growth.
Occupation
People who are active and do heavy work require more energy than a person who is moderately
active. Manual workers need a lot of carbohydrates compared to office workers or those who do
their work in sedentary positions. The carbohydrates are used to generate energy required to carry
out their work.
Carbohydrates
They are made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen and oxygen atom are present in
carbohydrates in the ratio 2:1. The general formula for carbohydrates is CnH2mOm.
Carbohydrates can be divided in three groups being Monosaccharides, Disaccharides and
Polysaccharides. Monosaccharides and Disaccharides are sugars.
carbohydrates
Monosaccharides Disaccharides Polysaccharides
(simple sugars) (complex sugars)
Eg: glucose eg:maltose
fructose lactose Starch Cellulose Glycogen
Fats
They are made up of Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. However the hydrogen and oxygen are not in
any definite ratio.
1
Proteins
They contain Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sometimes sulphur and phosphorus.
Their molecules are the largest and most complicated of all food substances. They are built up from
amino acids. An amino acid is so called because it possesses an amino group (-NH2), as well as the
acid group (-COOH)
FOOD TESTS (they are used to identify nutrients in food)
Objective
1. Describe test for starch (iodine solution), reducing sugars (Benedict’s solution), proteins (biuret
test) and fats (ethanol)
[Link]
Reagent: Iodine solution
Positive results: blue black colour
Procedure
a) Powders
Place the powdered food substance on a white dimple tile and add three (3) drops of iodine solution.
If starch is present the iodine solution will turn blue black
b) Solids
Crush the food substance to expose the food store.
Place the crushed food substance on a white dimple tile and add three (3) drops of iodine solution. If
starch is present the iodine solution will turn blue black
2. Fats
Reagents: ethanol and water
a) POWDERS
1. Place the powder in a dry test tube.
2. Add 2ml of ethanol to the powder and shake thoroughly. Allow the particles to settle and decant
in to a dry test tube.
3. Add 2ml of water and observe.
A white emulsion indicates the presence of fats.
a) SOLID FOOD SUBSTANCES
1. Crush the food substance place it in a dry test tube.
2. Add 2ml of ethanol to the powder and shake thoroughly. Allow the particles to settle and decant
in to a dry test tube.
2
3. Add 2ml of water and observe
A white emulsion indicates the presence of fats.
3. REDUCING SUGARS
a) POWDERS
1. Make a solution with water
2. Add 2ml of Benedict’s solution
3. Heat gently in a water bath while shaking the contents occasionally for 5 minutes
b) Solid food
1. Crush the food substance
2. Make a solution with water
[Link] particles to settle and decant
3. Add 2ml of Benedict’s solution to the solution.
4. Heat gently in a water bath while shaking the contents occasionally for 5 minutes
If reducing sugar is present, the following colour changes will be observed:
Blue to brick red/orange for high reducing sugar content.
Blue to green/yellow for low sugar reducing content.
4. Proteins
a) POWDERS
1. Make a solution with water
2. Add 2ml of dilute sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution and shake gently Caution NaOH is caustic
3. Add 2ml of 1% copper sulphate solution and shake.
b) Solid food
1. Crush the food substance
2. Make a solution with water
3. Allow particles to settle and decant
4. Add 2ml of dilute sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution and shake gently Caution NaOH is caustic
5. Add 2ml of 1% copper sulphate solution and shake.
If proteins are present, the contents will change colour from light blue to purple or mauve
If proteins are absent the contents will remain blue
