pH determination in fruit and vegetables

ISO 1842:1991
The method utilise the measured potential difference between two electrodes dipped in the liquid
to be tested.

Reagents (only use recognized analytical grades, unless otherwise specified.

Water should comply with at least grade 3 in accordance with ISO 3696)

In the norm, it is described how you prepare buffer solutions but we can offer ready-solutions:
The following Certipur® solutions can also be offered with 20°C specifications.

Buffer solutions:
1. Citric acid - sodium hydroxide - hydrogen chloride
traceable to SRM from NIST and PTB pH 4.00 (25°C) Certipur® (p/n 1.09445)

2. Potassium dihydrogen phosphate – disodium hydrogen phosphate

traceable to SRM from NIST and PTB pH 7.00 (25°C) Certipur® (p/n 1.09407)

3. Boric acid - potassium chloride -sodium hydroxide

(traceable to SRM from NIST and PTB pH 9.00 (25°C) Certipur® (p/n 1.09408)

Apparatus
• pH-meter, accurate to the nearest 0.01 pH
• Combined electrode (in which the indicator and reference electrode are joined in one shaft)

MiiliporeSigma, a part of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

www.emdmillipore.com/food-analysis 10
 pH measurement in fruit and vegetables
ISO 1842:1991
Calibration of pH meter
Calibrate the pH-meter according to the manufacturers instruction using at least two buffer
solutions, while stirring with the magnetic stirrer. If the pH-meter does not include a temperature
correction system, the temperature of the buffer solution shall be within the range 20±2 °C.

Sample preparation
• Liquid products: Mix the laboratory sample carefully until it is homogeneous.
• Thick or semi-thick products: Mix a part of the laboratory sample and grind it, if necessary with
a blender or mortar. If the product obtained still too thick, add an equal mass of distilled water
and mix well.

Test portion
Use as a test portion a volume of the prepared sample sufficient for immersion of the electrodes,
according to the apparatus used.

Determination
Introduce the electrodes into the test portion and set the temperature correction system of the pH
meter to the temperature of measurement.

Carry out the determination using the procedure appropriate to the pH meter used.
When constant value has been reached, read the pH directly, to at least 0.05 pH unit.
Carry out two determinations on two separate test portions.

Expression of results
Take as the result the arithmetic mean of the results of the two determinations. Report the results
to at least 0.05 pH unit.

pH values of the analyzed samples:

Apple juice: 3.70 and 3.70 Mean: 3.70

Orange juice: 3.99 and 3.99 Mean: 3.99
Apricot jam: 3.46 and 3.47 Mean: 3.47
Carrot jam: 4.60 and 4.59 Mean: 4.60

MiiliporeSigma, a part of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

www.emdmillipore.com/food-analysis 11