Date:

Title:

Aim: To determine the presence or absence of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins in

various food samples.

Apparatus: test tube, test tube rack, dropping pipette, white tile, forceps, water
bath and a knife. Material: Various samples, iodine solution, distilled water,
Potassium hydroxide, copper sulphate solution, ethanol, glucose and Benedicts
solution.

Procedure:

Method for Starch:

1. The food that was tested was in solid form and was changed to an extract.
The sample food substances was chopped in a small amount and placed into
a test tube to a depth of about 2cm.

2. A similar amount of distilled water was added and then shaken.

3. Some of the clear liquid was collected into a pipette and was transferred to
another test tube.

4. A drop of iodine solution was added in the test tube.

5. Observations were made

6. Apparatus was set up as shown below.

Method for Proteins:

1) The food sample was added to a test tube along with 2cm of water and then
stirred.

2) Add 2cm of dilute potassium hydroxide solution

3) Three drops of copper sulphate solution in the pipette was added to the test tube.

4) Observations were made

5) The apparatus was set up as shown below

 Method for Lipids (Fats and Oils):

1) If the food sample is already a liquid skip to step 2, place the food sample in a
test tube and the pipette was used to pour a few drops of ethanol into the test tube
and then stirred.

2) Water is then added to the test tube and left to settle.

3) Place some water in another test tube, the substance that formed on the top of
the solution is poured into the test tube and then stirred.

4) Observations were made.

5) The apparatus was set up as illustrated below

Results:

Tube Substance Iodine Color Fehling's Color Millon's Color Grease Fat
Test (Iodine) Test (Reducing Test (Proteins) spot Test
Sugar)

1 Soya Absent Beige Absent Light Present Red Absent Absent

Bean Brown
2 Peanut Present Black Present Dark Green Absent Brown Present Present
3 Milk Absent Cream Absent Brown Present Red Present Present
4 Onion Absent Yellow Absent Dark Absent Light Pink Absent Absent
Brown
5 Potato Present Black Present Yellow Present Red Absent Absent

Discussion:

A diet that contains adequate amounts of all the necessary nutrients

required for healthy growth and activity. The human diet provides us with
 energy and the nutrients to be healthy. The energy is provided by the major
nutrients, which are carbohydrates, lipids and protein .A carbohydrate is a
large biological molecule, or macromolecule, consisting of carbon (C),
hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O) atoms. Carbohydrates have six main
functions within the body. These include: providing energy and regulating
blood glucose, sparing the use of proteins for energy, breakdown of fatty
acids, preventing ketosis, biological recognition processes and as a source of
dietary fiber. Examples of carbohydrates are sugars and starches. Glucose is
made during photosynthesis, used in respiration and transported in the blood.
It is a simple sugar. Two molecules of simple sugars (like glucose) are joined
by chemical bonds to form a complex (double) sugar. Complex sugars include
sucrose, maltose and lactose. All sugars are sweet and soluble and provide
energy in a ready to use form. Complex carbohydrates, such as starch, are
made by joining many simple sugar molecules together by chemical bonds.
Plants store starch in leaves, roots and seeds as an energy store. Starch is
insoluble and does not taste sweet. Iodine is not very soluble in water;
therefore the iodine reagent is made by dissolving iodine in water in the
presence of potassium iodide. This makes a linear triiodide ion complex with
is soluble. The triiodide ion slips into the coil of the starch causing an intense
blue-black color. The iodine solution was just added to the food samples and
potato and peanuts were positive which indicated that starch was present.
A reducing sugar is any sugar that
either has an aldehyde ( aldehyde is an organic compound containing a
formyl group or is capable of forming one in solution through isomerism.)

Lipids are fats and oils. They are insoluble in water and act as a store of energy in
many animal and plant tissues. They contain the elements as carbon, hydrogen
and oxygen but the proportion of oxygen in a lipid is much lower than in a
carbohydrate. Some examples of lipids are beef, lamb milk and egg. They both
contain a lipid called tristearin, which is the formula C51 H98 o6. The chemical of
lipids are two types of molecule called glycerol and fatty acids. Glycerol is an oily
liquid, it is also known as glycerine. In a lipid, a molecule of glycerol is joined to
three fatty acids molecules. Although lipids are essential and part of our diet, to
much is unhealthy and this is called saturated lipids, as well as a compound known
as cholesterol. Other lipids are called unsaturated.
Fats and Oils are not soluble in water. The food sample
could be soluble in ethanol and this means that it is positive for the a lipid.