Exercise № 1

WATER AND ICE

List of Members: Date Performed: 08-20-2019

Kristhel Joy Manipon Date Submitted: 08-30-2019
Betina Dannah Villanueva Group № 3
Tristan Ele Evora Instructor: Jelynne P. Tamayo,
PhD
LAB SECTION: AB-2L

I. Introduction

Water is the predominant constituent in food. Aside from food materials being
derived from plants and animal tissues, it is also used as dispersing medium, cleansing
agent, and as an ingredient (i.e solvent) in various food processing. Recognizing its
properties and its activity in food is essential for food technologists to predict the food’s
stability.
Knowing the concept of moisture content in food could be of help in the proper
storage of food, packaging, and processing. The water activity which is one of the
properties of food that measures the water available for biological and chemical reactions
rather than the amount of water itself, influences the microbial growth, enzymatic activity
and even the texture, all responsible for spoilage. Understanding the behaviour of water
in the food system is important in food product design, food safety, and food quality in
general.

In this activity, the students were tasked to determine the moisture content of some
food materials; their water activity; the influence of moisture on food’s quality and;
influence of some factors on the freezing of water. And by the end of this exercise, the
students are expected to learn the principles, methods, and the relationship underlying
water and the food system.

II. Methodology
Experiment 1. Moisture Content
Materials: Cabbage(food sample), knife, chopping board, spatula, moisture dish or
crucibles, weighing scale, infrared moisture tester, oven, analytical balance, tong.

Procedure:
a. Moisture Determination Using Ohaus IR Moisture Meter
2.0g of grinded or cut cabbage was spread evenly in aluminum pan and examined
using Ohaus IR Moisture Meter set at lamp intensity 3 until weight became
constant.
b. Moisture Determination Using Oven Method Crucibles were placed in the oven
o o
set at 100 C +/- 5 C and were removed after 3 hours. Afterwards, placed in the
dessicator and then allowed to cool for 30 minutes. The process was repeated until
constant weight was obtained.

Experiment 2. Water Activity of some Foods

Materials and Equipment: Powdered Milk (Bear brand), spatula, water activity meter
Procedure: 5.00g of powdered milk was put in a small cup and the water in the food is
allowed to equilibrate (i.e., to its ERH) with the headspace water vapor using Abbeon
Water Activity.

Experiment 3. Water Activity and Food Quality

Materials and Equipment: Cabbage, Saturated salt solutions, bottles w/ caps, screen wire,
weighing scale,graduated cylinder, pipette, aspirator
Procedure: 50 mL of 75, 7, 32, 81, and 100 % saturated salt solutions NaCl, KOH, MgCl2,
(NH4)2SO4, and H2O respectively, were prepared and placed in empty bottles. 5.0g of
cabbaged placed in a baskets were hung inside the bottles and replaced the cover.
Changes in weight were recorded after 3 days.

Experiment 4. Freezing of Water.

Materials and Equipment: dH2O, tap water, table sugar, mango juice, evaporated milk,
salt, vanilla, gelatin, and egg yolk; Test tubes, beaker, mixer, heater, and freezer.

Procedure: Samples were prepared as indicated in Table 1.6 of the laboratory manual
and then frozen overnight. After 24 hours, the samples were pulled out from the freezer.
The samples were observed and recorded before and after freezing.

III. Results and Discussion

 Experiment 1. Moisture Content

Table 1.1 Data on Moisture Determination Using Ohaus IR Moisture Meter.

Sample Final Reading Initial Reading Factor % MC

Powdered Milk 1.69 2 5 15.5

Eggnog 1.87 2 5 6.5

Table 1.2 Data on Moisture Content Determination Using Oven-drying Method.

Parameter Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3

Weight of tared
crucible, g

Weight of tared
crucible and sample
before drying, g

Weight of sample, g

Weight of tared
crucible and sample
after drying, g

Weight of moisture,
g

% MC

Average % MC +/- d

Table 1.3 Moisture Content of Different Food Samples.

Sample %MC Appearance after oven-
drying

Discussion
 “Moisture content influences the taste, texture, weight, appearance, and shelf life
of foodstuffs.” (Appoldt & Raihani, 2017) It is important to determine the moisture content
of foods to be able to maintain its stability. In this experiment, the moisture content was
determined by removing the available water in the food sample through evaporation using
an infrared source (Ohaus IR Moistue Meter); the weight loss was then considered as the
moisture of the food sample.

Two grams of powdered milk and eggnog were the samples used which resulted
to a 1.69g and 1.87g final weight respectively, after using the Ohaus IR Moisture Meter.
Data shows that the powdered milk has a higher moisture content which is 15.5%, than
the eggnog which has a 6.5%- this could mean that the eggnog has a higher stability in
terms of physical integrity, growth of microorganisms and rate of chemical and
biochemical reactions.

Experiment 2. Water Activity of some Foods

Table 1.4 Water Activity of different food samples.

Sample Water Activity

Powdered Milk 0.375

Eggnog ----

Discussion

Relative humidity relationship was the principle used in determining the water
activity in this experiment wherein the dew point (the temperature at which the vapor in
the air condenses to visible water) is measured. The food in the cup was allowed to
equilibrate with the headspace water vapor and it showed that powdered milk has a water
activity of 0.375.
In Montville’s , et. al, Food Microbiology: An introduction , they mentioned that most
bacteria require a minimum water activity of 0.91–0.88 while most yeasts and regular
molds require 0.80 and 0.88 respectively in order to thrive. This indicates that most groups
of microorganisms are less likely to survive in the product making it very shelf-stable.

Experiment 3. Water Activity and Food Quality

Table 1.5 Texture and appearance of foods stored under different relative humidities.
 % Relative Saturated Appearanc Texture Weight Weight Gain (+)/
Humidity salt e before after Loss (-) in
solutions drying drying weight

75 NaCl Green,leaf Crispy, 31. 04 30.13 (-) .91

y Coarse,
Rough

7 KOH Green,leaf Crispy, 29.98 27.59 (---) 2.39

y Coarse,
Rough

32 MgCl2 Green,leaf Crispy, 31.13 29.41 (--) 1.72

y Coarse,
Rough

81 (NH4)2SO Green,leaf Crispy, 29.49 28.98 (-) 0.51

4 y Coarse,
Rough

100 Pure H20 Green,leaf Crispy, 28.84 28.72 (-) 0.12

y Coarse,
Rough

Discussion:

Relative humidity (RH) is the amount of moisture present in the surrounding

atmosphere thus, an increase or decrease in the % RH is indicative of a gradient between
the surrounding atmosphere and the food sample. In relation to that, according to
calright.com, the water activity of a product or food sample will always try to reach
equilibrium with its surrounding atmosphere wherein water will migrate from regions of
high Aw to regions of low Aw.

Since cabbage is a leafy and fleshy vegetable, it is expected to have a high Aw.
And exposure to the different % RH caused the cabbage to dry up in order to attain
equilibrium. Hence, it is shown in the above data that saturated salt solutions with lower
percentage of relative humidity tend to have higher amount of weight loss--Migration of
water to reach equilibrium resulted to the food sample's lost of weight. Moreover, it is
shown that the cabbage exposed to 100% RH still lost weight, although minimally, when
supposedly no changes should be observed. The group assumed that other factors such
as temperature is responsible for it.

Experiment 4. Freezing of Water

Table 1.6 Effect of selected additives on the freezing of water.
Sample Appearance and texture Appearance and texture
before freezing after freezing

Distilled water - clear, transparent, - hard, clear, thread-

slippery like crystals on the
inside

Tap water - clear, transparent, - hard, unclear,

with small bubbles, whitish formation on
slippery the inside

Mango juice - (artificial) light - hard , yellow in color,

yellow, slightly flaky ice crystals
viscous

35% sucrose - greasy, viscous, - clear solution,

cloudy, bits of sugar, slightly viscous
clear

Milk - pale yellow, turbid - cream in color, semi-

solid, irregular ice
crystals

Milk and gelatin - turbid, slightly - cream in color, semi-

viscous solid, fine ice
crystals

Milk and egg yolk - yellowish white, - yellow in color,

slimy viscous liquid

Discussion

In order to start freezing pure liquid water (no additives or other ingredients) in
particular, its temperature must drop to exactly 0°C or 32° Fahrenheit and satisfy a
pressure of 1 atm. However, its densest and heaviest is at 4°C or 39° Fahrenheit. As of
that point, the pure water should be very solid. Ice crystals form from a nucleation point,
as for this experiment, the inner surface of the test tube, freezing begins to form from
outside to inside - forming a crystal lattice structure (Gosnell, 2012). In mango juice,
microscopic tissues of mango flesh acted as nucleation point for water molecules and
other particles to create “flaky ice crystals” just like how snowflakes are formed when
extremely cold water droplets attach to dust. Dipole-dipole interactions called hydrogen
bonding arranges water molecules in a cage like structure and this structure makes ice
less dense than liquid water, which explains its lightness in water. The water molecules
are arranged in layers of hexagonal rings. In liquid water, the molecules are partially
ordered and hydrogen bonds are constantly formed and break up. On the other hand, ice
has a rigid lattice structure.

When there is presence of impurities or additives, the freezing point of a liquid

lowers (depresses) as its vapor pressure lowers. Impurities or additives cause hindrance
or change in the formation of the crystal lattice structure since they prevent the water from
making hydrogen bonds (Gillispie, 2018). This phenomenon explains why 35% sucrose,
milk, milk and gelatine, and milk and egg yolk did not become hard compared to the first
three. Also due to impurities in the water, which can be dirt, dust, salt, minerals and other
smaller particles, cloudiness inside of ice could manifest. Tap water contains dissolved
minerals e.g. Ca and Mg in the form of bicarbonates and/or Ca and MgSO4 - which
constitutes to the “hardness” of water, these get pushed downward but some stays in
pockets between the crystals. Another reason could be dissolved gases in the water that
they get trapped in between of these crystals and the water becomes supersaturated with
microscopic bubbles (Wisialowski, 2017).

According to Discoverfoodtech.com, when food is frozen either slowly or rapidly, it

affects its quality. Rapid freezing causes smaller ice crystals to form which does not
disrupt cells unlike slow freezing which causes smaller ice crystals that damages the cell.
So the change in certain properties (color, texture, consistency, etc.) of mango juice, milk,
milk and gelatine, and milk and egg yolk could be because of the long hours of freezing
leading to the disruption of the cells of these food materials.

IV. Summary and Conclusions

Experiment 1. Moisture Content

The water available in foods affects the growth of microorganisms, rate of chemical
and biochemical reactions, and its physical integrity therefore determining its overall
stability. The slightest bit of difference in the moisture content of foods is detrimental; a
decrease or increase in moisture could affect consistency, appearance and shelf life.
Not only water contained in the food affects its stability but also the water
surrounding it. The moisture in the atmosphere which is referred to as the relative humidity
creates a gradient between the surrounding atmosphere wherein water would migrate
from regions of high to low water activity which could make the sample soggy or dried up
altering the original characteristics of the food which could lead to chains of chemical and
biochemical reactions and spoilage or preservation of the food.
 Therefore, knowing the water content of a food sample is critical to be able to
properly handle and address its concerns to maximize the stability of the food so as not
to risk its quality and safety.

Experiment 4. Freezing of Water

In freezing water, changes in properties (appearance, consistency, state, etc.)

could be attributed to additives and/or impurities which were, intentionally or not, added
to the sample. These additions caused depression (e.g. 35% Sugar Solution, eggs, and
gelatin) in the freezing point as well as interesting physical manifestations. It was found
out that slowly freezing some samples could break the integrity of the food material or
solution. The concept of nucleation and the “clouding” of ice were given inferences with
the help of the experiment, for example, tap water after freezing had a cloudy formation
on the inside and this is due to the minerals present unlike distilled which has none and
did not exhibit the same. By introducing additives to the sample, this gave hindrance to
the formation for more dipole-dipole interaction - hydrogen bonding.

This experiment could be useful to control the activity of water molecules in cases
of dramatic change in temperature of the surrounding.

V. References

Appoldt, Yvonne and Raihani, Gina. (3 Feb. 2017). FOOD QUALITY AND SAFETY.
Determining Moisture Content. Retrieved from:
https://www.foodqualityandsafety.com/article/determining-moisture-
content/?fbclid=IwAR35k_839SJr82XGphjuJQt0VxLAbFRknWyqCVjxiXPmzy0Yc
FecTEMMrbU

Gillespie, Claire. ( 4 May 2018). Why Does Sugar Affect the Freezing Point of Water?
Sciencing.Retrieved from: https://sciencing.com/sugar-affect-freezing-point-water-
7194604.html.

Gosnell, Mariana. ( 3 Jan. 2012) “How Water Freezes.” Alcademics.

Retrieved from:https://www.alcademics.com/2012/01/how-water-freezes.html.

Lower, Stephen. “7.3: Hydrogen-Bonding and Water.” (n.d). CHEMISTRY LIBRETEXT.

 Retrieved from:
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/General_Chemistry/Book:_Chem1_(Low
er)/07:_Solids_and_Liquids/7.03:_Hydrogen-Bonding_and_Water.

Montville, T.J, Matthews, K.R, Kniel, K.E. (2012). Food Microbiology: An Introduction.
doi:10.1128/9781555817206

Srivastava, Mansi. (5 Apr. 2018). Difference Between Fast Freezing And Slow Freezing.
Discover Food Tech. Retrieved from: https://discoverfoodtech.com/difference-
between-fast-freezing-and-slow-freezing

Wisialowski, Kate. (21 Aug. 2017) “Why Is Your Ice Cloudy?” SimpleWater Tap Score.
Retrieved from: https://mytapscore.com/blogs/tips-for-taps/why-is-your-ice-
cloudy.