Detection of food

substances by food tests

(02)Chan Tracey Wing Tung

(12)Lee Hei Tung
(15)Luk Ka Wing
(22)Yeung Ka Tak F.3A
 Objective

• To test for the

presence of
glucose, reducing
sugar, starch, fats,
proteins and vitamin
C by different food
tests
 Background information

Food substance Food test

Glucose Using Clinistix paper
Reducing sugars Benedict’s test
Starch Iodine test
Fats Grease spot test
Proteins Using Albustix paper
Vitamin C Using DCPIP solution
Test for food substance in solid
food substance ( Oreo )
1.Cut the food sample
into small pieces.

2.Put the small pieces

into a mortar and
grind with a small
quantity of cool
distilled water using
the pestle.
 A.Test for glucose using Clinistix paper
1.Transfer a drop of 2. Dip the test end of a
glucose solution to Clinistix paper into
the well of a spot the sample and
plate. observe any colour
change. Use distilled
water as a control .

Water

Oreo solution Oreo Water

 Result
Test end of Clinistix paper
Sample
Original colour Final colour

Glucose
solution Pink Purple

Distilled Pink Pink

 B. Test for reducing sugars
using Bendict’s test
1.Mix equal volumes
(e.g.1cm³)of glucose solution
and Benedict’s solution in s Bendict
test tube. solution

2.Put the test tube into a boiling

water bath. Boil the mixture
for 5 mins and observe any in
the mixture. After Water Bath:
Oreo
3.Stand the test tube in a test solution
tube rack for 15 mins and
observe any change in the
mixture again. Use distilled Bendict
water as a control. solution+
Oreo
solution
 Results

Sample Mixture of Benedict’s solution

and sample
Original colour Final change
Glucose Light blue Brick red
solution precipitate
Distilled Light blue Light blue
C. Test for starch using iodine test
1.Transfer a drop of
starch solution to the
well of a spot plate.

2.Add a drop of iodine

solution to the sample
and observe any colour
change. Use distilled
water as a control.

Oreo solution+ iodine

Water + iodine
 Results
Iodine solution
Sample
Original colour Final colour
Starch Brown Blue-black
solution
Distilled water Brown Brown
D. Test for fats using grease spot
test
1.Transfer a drop of
cooking oil to a filter
paper and let it dry in
the air for 5 mins

2.Hold up the filter

paper to the light and
observe any
translucent spot
 Water
3.Immerse the filter Oreo solution
paper into a original
solvent (e.g. ether,
acetone).

4.Examine the filter

paper against light
again. Note any
change in the filter
paper. Use egg white
solution and distilled
water as controls.
 Results
Presence of translucent spot
after drying?
Sample Before After
immersing immersing
into organic into organic
solvent solvent
Cooking oil Yes No

Egg white Yes Yes

solution
Distilled No Not
water applicable
E.Test for proteins using Albustix
paper

1.Transfer a drop of
egg white solution to
the well of a spot
plate.

Oreo water
solution
Water
Oreo
solution
2.Dip the test end of
an Albustix paper
into the sample and
observe any colour Water
change. Use
distilled water as a
control.

Oreo
solution
 Result

Sample Test and of Albustix paper

Original Final colour

colour
Egg white Yellow Blue-green
solution
Distilled Yellow Yellow
water
 F.Test for vitamin C using DCPIP
solution

1.Put 1 cm3 of
DCPIP solution in a
test tube.
Add in
2.Add in vitamin C Oreo
solution drop by solution
drop. Stop when
there is any DCPIP
solution
persistent colour
change.
3.Boil a test tube of
5cm3 of vitamin C Oreo
Control
solution in a boiling solution+
water bath for 5 mins. (Add DCPIP
Water)
Allow the test to cool in solution
a breaker of cold
water.

4.Use the boiled vitamin C

solution and distilled
water as controls.
 Results
Sample DCPIP solution

Original colour Final colour

Vitamin C Blue colourless

solution
Boiled vitamin Blue Blue
C solution
Distilled water Blue Blue
Apparatus & Materials used
Apparatus & Materials used
• Test tube • Oreo biscuits
• Test tube holder • Distilled Water
• Filter paper • Clinistix paper
• Filter funnel • Bendict’s solution
• Beaker • Iodine solution
• Mortar • Albustix paper
• Grind • DCPIP solution
• Spot plate
• Dropper
• Measuring cylinder
• Water boiling bath
 Conclusion
• In our tests, Oreo has the reaction on:
• Glucose (Clinistix paper) +ve
• Reducing sugar (Benedict’s test) +ve
• Starch (Iodine test) +ve
• Fat (Grease spot test) -ve
• Protein (Albustix paper) +ve
• Vitamim C(DCPIP solution) +ve
 Experimental Errors &
Improvement
• Oreo should have positive result on fats.
However, in our test, we have negative
result since there is little amount of fat
in Oreo.
• We need to be more careful in cleaning
all the apparatus before we use them
again. Eg.There is also colour change in
our control (water).