Abstract

This practical investigated the titratable acidity of an unknown, prepared fruit juice sample. Acidity is a
crucial quality parameter in fruit juices, influencing taste, stability, and shelf-life. The objective was to
determine the total acid content in the provided juice sample and potentially infer its fruit source based
on the result. The method involved diluting a 10 mL aliquot of the prepared juice to 100 mL and titrating
a 25 mL portion of the diluted juice with standardized 0.1 M Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) solution to a
phenolphthalein endpoint. Titratable acidity was calculated and expressed as citric acid using a provided
factor for comparison with typical fruit data .Comparison of this value with typical acidity ranges of
various fruits suggests the juice is likely from a fruit with moderate acidity, such as an orange. The
findings demonstrate how titratable acidity measurement can provide insight into the characteristics
and potential identity of a fruit juice.

1. Introduction

Acidity is an important intrinsic parameter influencing the flavor, stability, and safety of foods. In fruit
juices, acidity is primarily due to the presence of various organic acids. These acids contribute
significantly to the characteristic sour taste and play a vital role in preventing the growth of spoilage
microorganisms and pathogenic bacteria by lowering the pH. Titratable acidity (TA) is a measure of the
total hydrogen ions in a food sample that are neutralized by a base under specific conditions. Unlike pH,
which measures the hydrogen ion concentration, TA quantifies the total amount of acid present,
including both dissociated and undissociated acids. Determining titratable acidity is essential in the food
industry for quality control and assessing the characteristics of fruit products. This practical focused on
determining the titratable acidity of a prepared fruit juice sample whose specific fruit source was initially
unknown.

2. Objectives

The primary objectives of this practical were to:

 Determine the titratable acidity of a provided, unknown fruit juice sample.

 Calculate the titratable acidity in millimoles of hydronium ion per 100 mL and grams per 100 mL
of the juice.
 Compare the determined titratable acidity value to typical reported ranges for various fruit
juices to potentially infer the fruit source.

3. Materials and Methods

3.1Materials
  fresh fruits
 knife
 cheesecloth
 50 mL Burette
 Burette stand and clamp
 10 mL pipette
 Pipette pump/filler
 0.1 M Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) solution (Standardized)
 1% Phenolphthalein indicator solution
 100 mL volumetric flask
 Conical flasks (250 mL)
 Distilled water
 Gloves, safety glasses, and lab coat

3.2 Method

A prepared fruit juice sample was provided by the laboratory. The method for determining its titratable
acidity involved the following steps:

Sample Dilution

10 mL of the provided juice sample was accurately pipetted into a 100 mL volumetric flask. Distilled
water was added up to the mark to dilute the sample, and the flask was inverted several times to ensure
thorough mixing.

Titration

A 25 mL aliquot of the diluted juice sample was pipetted into a 100 mL conical flask. Three drops of 1%
phenolphthalein indicator were added to the flask. The burette was rinsed and filled with the
standardized 0.1 N NaOH solution, ensuring no air bubbles were present. The initial burette reading was
recorded. The diluted juice sample was titrated with the NaOH solution from the burette, swirling the
conical flask continuously. NaOH was added dropwise as the endpoint approached (indicated by slower
appearance of the pink color). The titration was continued until a faint but permanent pink color
persisted for at least 30 seconds. The final burette reading was recorded. The titration was repeated
three times for the juice sample to obtain an average volume of NaOH used .

Data Analysis

The average volume of NaOH used for the juice sample was determined. The titratable acidity was
calculated using the following formulas provided:

Titratable Acidity ,expressed in millimoles of H+ per 100ml of product is given by;

V/VS×(Vb×c)×100/Vt
Where:

Vb= Average Volume of NaOH used (mL)

Vs= Volume of test sample (original juice) used for dilution = 10 mL

Vt= Volume of diluted test portion for titration = 25 mL

V= Total volume of diluted sample = 100 mL

C= Exact concentration in mole per litre

100 = Factor to express results per 100 mL

For comparison with typical fruit data, the titratable acidity in g/100mL was calculated using the factor
for citric acid (0.064 g/meq), as citric acid is a common predominant acid in many fruits.

4. Results

The volumes of 0.1 N NaOH used to neutralize 25 mL aliquots of the diluted unknown fruit juice sample
(equivalent to 2.5 mL of original juice) are shown in Table 1. The calculated titratable acidity values in
both mmol H+/100mL and g/100mL are presented in Table 2.

Table 1: Average Volume of 0.1 N NaOH Used for Titration (Unknown Juice).

BURETTE PILOT EXPERIMENT 1 EXPERIMENT 2 EXPERIMENT 3

READING(ml)

Final reading 1.20 2.30 3.30 4.20

Initial reading 0.00 1.20 2.30 3.30

Volume used 1.20 1.10 1.00 0.90

AVERAGE VOLUME OF NaOH USED

AV=(V1+V2+V3)/3

=(1.10+1.00+0.90)ml/3

=1.00ml

Therefore an average volume is 1.00ml.

For titratable acid:

Titratable acid =(V/Vs)×(Vb×c)×(100/Vt)

 =(100/10)×(1.0×0.1)×(100/25)

Titratable acid in millimoles per 100ml=4.0millimoles/100ml.

Then ;

For titratable acid in g/100ml=4.0millimoles/ml × 0.064g/meq

=0.256g/100ml.

Discussion

The titratable acidity of the unknown fruit juice sample was determined to be 4.0millimoles/100ml ,
which is equivalent 0.256g/100mL when expressed as citric acid. To infer the possible source of the
juice, this value can be compared to the typical titratable acidity ranges of common fruit juices.

Based on literature, typical titratable acidity ranges (expressed as g/100mL citric acid equivalents) are
approximately:

Fruits Common acid Titratable acid range Factor Normal range

(mmol/100ml) (g/100ml).

Apple juice Malic acid 2-6 0.067 0.13-0.40

Orange juice Citric acid 5-15 0.070 0.35-1.05

monohydrate

The titratable acid value falls within the range juice (0.13-0.40).

Therefore, based on the titratable acidity measurement, the unknown fruit juice sample is likely from
apple fruit.

It is important to note that identifying a fruit solely based on titratable acidity has limitations. The acidity
of a fruit can vary based on variety and ripeness.

6. Conclusion

This practical successfully determined the titratable acidity of the provided unknown fruit juice sample.
The titratable acidity was found to be [4.00 mmol/100mL] mmol H+/100mL ([0.256 g/100mL] g/100mL
as citric acid). By comparing this result to typical titratable acidity ranges of various fruits, it is inferred
that the unknown juice sample was most likely from an apple. This experiment demonstrated the
application of titratable acidity measurement in characterizing fruit juices and providing clues about
their origin.
7. REFERENCES

Salder,G.and Murphy, P.(2010).PH and Titratable Acidity. Ln:S.Nielsen,ed.,Food Analysis,4th ed.New

York : Speinger,pp.227-234.