c

Title : Detecting compounds made by living things

Objective : To determine the presence and absence of starch, sugar, protein and fat in
various food samples.

Procedure Refer to lab manual.

:
A. Tests For Carbohydrate
(c) Test for sucrose
Yes, a color change between the two test tubes is visible. This is because sucrose is
a non-reducing sugar, thus the solution does not undergo any color change. Thus, a
negative result will is obtained. By adding dilute hydrochloric acid, HCL, the
glycosidic linkages (acetal) are broken and reducing ends are created. Therefore, a
brick red precipitate is formed. Hence, a positive result is obtained.

B. Test For Protein

3. The purpose of tube #2 is as a control experiment.

C. Test For Fat

2. The purpose of the ³water spot´ is as a negative control experiment.

Observations/Results :

Table 1. Iodine test

Tube Substance Color Starch
1 Soya bean Beige Absent
2 Peanut Black Present
3 Milk Cream Absent
4 Onion Yellow Absent
5 Potato Black Present

Table 2. Fehling¶s test

Tube Substance Color Reducing sugar
1 Soya bean Light brown Absent
2 Peanut Dark green Present
3 Milk Brown Absent
4 Onion Dark brown Absent
5 Potato Yellow Present

Table 3. Millon¶s test

Tube Substance Color Protein
1 Soya bean Red Present
2 Peanut Brown Absent
3 Milk Red Present
4 Onion Light pink Absent
5 Potato Red Present
Table 4. Grease spot test
Tube Substance Grease spot Fat
1 Soya bean Absent Absent
2 Peanut Present Present
3 Milk Present Present
4 Onion Absent Absent
5 Potato Absent Absent

Discussion:
Possible errors :
(a) Time of test tubes in water bath is not accurate
(b) The volume of food samples differ in each test tube for the same test

Possible improvements :
(a) By using a stopwatch for a more accurate timing.
(b) Set a fixed volume of food samples in each test tube

Conclusion:
Compounds such as starch, sugar, protein and fat are present in living things. Some
food samples have more than one compound present while other food samples only
have one compound present. Hence, different food samples have different compounds
present.

Questions:

1. All sugar containing materials do not show a positive test for sugar when tested with
Fehling¶s solution because some sugar are non-reducing sugar. Fehling¶s solution is
to test for the presence of reducing sugar, hence negative result is obtained when
Fehling¶s solution is use to test non-reducing sugar.

2. Yes. Peanut, milk and potato are some of the food tested that have more than one
compound present.

3. The practical value of food testing is to analyze the presence of compounds made by
living things such as starch, sugar, protein and fat.