School of Industrial Technology

Faculty of Applied Sciences

________________________________________________________

FST 556
Laboratory Title: Determination of Moisture
Date of experiment: 21TH APRIL 2020
Laboratory Group: Tuesday

Name : IMAN FARHA HANISAH BINTI DANIEL HASNI

Student ID : 2019702307
Group : AS2464C

MARK:
INTRODUCTION

Moisture determination is the most significant and extensively used measurements in the
processing and testing of foods. Appoldt & Raihani (2017) stated that moisture content can
effect the flavour, texture, mass, form, and shelf life of products. They noted that a slight
difference from a defined standard can poorly influence the physical characteristics of the
food material.

Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) or thermogravimetry (TG) is a technique where the mass

of a polymer is measured as a function of temperature or time while subjected to a controlled
temperature program in a controlled atmosphere (Earnest 1988). Examples of TGA are oven
drying, vacuum drying and halogen drying. Moisture content is when a product losses its
weight during drying process and measuring the changes of sample mass while being
heated at a controlled rate until no weight changes is seen.

Moisture determination is important as to avoid processing losses and evaluate material’s

balance. Too much moisture can cause trapping of food material in the piping systems
during production.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the percentage moisture content in food by using different drying methods.
DRYING METHOD USING AIR OVEN

Apparatus
Aluminium dish with covers, spatula, analytical balance, air oven, desiccators and tongs (or
gloves)

Procedure
Aluminium dish with cover is dried for 3 hours in an oven at 105°C. The dish is transferred
into the desiccator to let cool and weighed after attaining room temperature. The dried
aluminium dish with covers were labelled and weighed accurately. 5 g of homogenised
sample were approximately weighed into the aluminium dish. The aluminium dish with
sample was placed uncovered in 100-105°C or 60°C oven overnight. Cover of aluminium
dish was replaced before being removed from the oven. Cooled in desiccator and weighed
as soon as attaining room temperature. The weight obtained was recorded. The drying
process was repeated until a constant weight is achieved. The percentage of moisture was
calculated as described below:

(Wt of wet sample + pan) - (Wt of dried sample + pan) x 100

(Wt of wet sample + pan) - (Wt of pan)
DRYING METHOD USING VACUUM OVEN

Materials
Absolute alcohol, aluminium dish with covers, spatula, glass rod, sand, measuring cylinder,
Pasteur pipette, analytical balance, vacuum oven, desiccators and tongs (or gloves)

Methods
Clean aluminium dish with lids was obtained and labelled clearly. 10 g of sand was weighed
into the dishes. The dish containing sand was placed along with lids and glass rods into an
oven at 105°C for 30 minutes and then, cooled in desiccator for 30 minutes. The weight of
each dish containing sand, lid and glass rod was recorded accurately. 5 g of homogenised
sample was weighed approximately into the aluminium dish. 5 ml of absolute alcohol was
added and mixed thoroughly with the glass rod. The dishes was placed on a heating tray
and occasionally stirred until all of the absolute alcohol has evaporated. The dish was placed
uncovered in a vacuum oven at 70°C and <100 mmHg for 24 hours. The glass rod is left in
the dish. Cover of aluminium dish was replaced before being removed from the oven, cooled
in a desiccator and weighed as soon attaining room temperature. The weight obtained was
recorded. The drying process was repeated until constant weight is achieved. The
percentage of moisture was calculated as described in previous method.
HALOGEN DRYING METHOD USING MOISTURE ANALYSER

Materials
MB45 Halogen Moisture Analyser (Ohaus Corporation) (Figure 1), sample pan and spatula

Figure 1: Diagram of MB45 Halogen Moisture Analyser

(Adopted from MB45 Halogen Moisture Analyser Instruction Manual, Ohaus Corporation)

Methods
The Moisture Analyser was switched on by pressing the ON/OFF button. The air bubble was
made sure to be centred in the LEVEL INDICATOR. The TEST MENU button was pressed
and the drying parameter was edited based on the food sample.

Example of drying parameter for moisture determination of wheat flour:

Drying Temperature: 150oC
Profile: Standard
Switch Off Time: 5 minutes
Display Set: % moist
Target weight: 5 g
Program: Timed switch-off (5 min)
Cover of the instrument was opened and pan was cleared. The empty sample pan was
placed in the pan handler and placed in the sample chamber. The toungue of the pan
handler was ensured to fit exactly in the slot of the draft shield element and the sample pan
lied flat in the pan handler. The cover was then closed and TARE button was pressed to set
reading to zero. 5 g of food sample was placed and distributed evenly in the sample pan. Cover was
closed. The drying process started by pressing the START/STOP button. At the end of the drying
process, the result display for % moisture was read and reading was recorded. The cover was
opened and the pan handler was carefully lifted from the chamber and sample was removed.
DISTILLATION METHOD USING DEAN & STARK APPARATUS

Materials
Toluene, analytical balance, distillation apparatus, heating mantle, and graduated cylinder

Methods
40 g sample was weighed approximately and the sample was transferred to the round
bottom flask. Sufficient amount of toluene was added t cover the sample completely. The
flask containing sample and solvent was attached to the condenser by the side arm. The
trap was filled with toluene by pouring it through the condenser until it filled the trap and
begun to flow into the flask. A loose non-absorbing cotton plug was inserted into the top of
the condenser to prevent consideration of atmospheric moisture in the condenser. The water
supply to the condenser was turned on; heating mantle was switched on to boil the sample.
2 drops per second was refluxed until most of the water collected in the trap then reflux rate
was increased to 4 drops per second. Reflux was continued until two consecutive readings
of 15 minutes apart showed no changes. The heating mantle was turned of and apparatus
was allowed to cool down. The volume of water collected in the trap was recorded and the
percentage of moisture content was calculated as the formula below:

% moisture = Volume of water (ml) x 100

Weight of sample (g)
RESULT
Drying Method using Air Oven

Table 2.1: Raw data for moisture analysis using air oven method

Sample: Carrot

Weight of Weight of dish + wet Weight of dish + dried % moisture

Replicate
dish (g) sample (g) sample (g) content

1 83.56 88.60 84.08 89.68

2 84.75 89.81 85.32 82.81

3 83.24 88.26 83.73 90.24

Average±SD 87.58 ± 4.1375

Sample: Vanilla cake

Weight of Weight of dish + wet Weight of dish + dried % moisture

Replicate
dish (g) sample (g) sample (g) content

1 84.65 89.68 88.42 25.05

2 83.48 88.53 87.24 25.54

3 85.02 90.04 88.77 25.30

Average±SD 25.30 ± 0.2450

Drying Method using Vacuum Oven

Table 2.2: Raw data for moisture analysis using vacuum oven method

Sample: Strawberry jam

Weight of
Weight of dish
Weight of Weight of dish dish + glass
+ glass rod + % moisture
Replicate dish + glass + glass rod + rod + sand
sand + wet content
rod (g) sand (g) + dried
sample (g)
sample (g)

1 90.04 100.09 105.11 103.61 29.88

2 89.46 99.50 104.59 103.37 23.97

3 88.75 98.78 103.84 102.44 27.50

27.12 ±
Average±SD
2.9736

Sample: Chili sauce

Weight of
Weight of dish
Weight of Weight of dish dish + glass
+ glass rod + % moisture
Replicate dish + glass + glass rod + rod + sand
sand + wet content
rod (g) sand (g) + dried
sample (g)
sample (g)

1 86.56 96.63 101.66 101.07 11.73

2 89.67 99.71 104.76 104.17 11.68

3 91.02 101.06 106.14 105.56 11.42

11.61 ±
Average±SD
0.1664
Halogen Drying Method using Moisture Analyser

Table 2.3: Raw data for moisture analysis using moisture analyzer

Sample: Crackers

Replicat Time taken to dry

Weight of sample (g) % moisture content
e sample (min)

1 5.04 2.0 2.24

2 5.12 2.0 2.45

3 5.08 2.0 2.38

Average±SD 2±0 2.36 ± 0.1069

Sample: Banana

Replicat Time taken to dry

Weight of sample (g) % moisture content
e sample (min)

1 5.02 9.5 71.86

2 5.04 9.5 71.94

3 5.03 9.5 71.91

Average±SD 9.5 ± 0 71.90 ± 0.0404

Distillation Method using Dean & Stark Apparatus

Table 2.4: Raw data for moisture analysis using distillation method

Sample: Turmeric powder

Replicat Volume of water

Weight of sample (g) % moisture content
e collected (ml)

1 40.08 2.49 6.21

2 40.10 2.44 6.09

3 40.07 2.46 6.15

Average±SD 6.15 ± 0.06

Sample: Coriander powder

Replicat Volume of water

Weight of sample (g) % moisture content
e collected (ml)

1 40.16 2.60 6.41

2 40.09 2.40 5.99

3 40.11 2.52 6.28

Average±SD 6.23 ± 0.2150

QUESTIONS
1. Why do you allow the sample to cool before weighing?
Samples are allowed to cool before weighing as warm sample rises air and disrupt the actual
mass reading.
2. Comment the suitability of the method with the supplied samples.
All methods are suitable with the supplied samples for each one of them.
DISCUSSION

In this experiment, four different methods to determine moisture were conducted. These
methods were drying method using air oven, drying method using vacuum oven, halogen
drying method using moisture analyser and distillation method using dean & stark apparatus.

The sample used in the air oven method was carrot and vanilla cake whereas for vacuum
oven the sample was strawberry jam and chilli sauce. Halogen drying sample was crackers
and bananas meanwhile distillation method uses two types of powder which were turmeric
and coriander powder. Before the experiment was allowed to start, some of the samples
need to undergo some preparation. Carrots are first washed and cut into smaller pieces.
Vanilla cake was also cut into smaller pieces. Crackers were crushed and bananas were
peeled off and cut into smaller pieces. The reason these samples need to be into smaller
pieces is as to increase their surface area so that the moisture content would not be
underestimated.

First, we will start with drying method using air oven. In the tabulated data, the moisture
content of carrot is 87.58% with a standard deviation of 4.1375 while vanilla cake moisture
content is 25.30% with a standard deviation of 0.2450. For the usage of vacuum oven, the
data shows both strawberry jam and chili sauce have very low moisture content whish are
27.12% with a standard deviation of 2.9736 and 11.61% with a standard deviation of 0.1664
respectively. The samples used are a type of intermediate moisture foods (IMF). Alzamora,
Barbosa-Canovas, Chanes et al. (2003) states that IMF have low water activity which ranges
around 0.65 – 0.90. They also assured that it is easy to prepare and do not need
refrigeration storage. That is why the moisture content is low though they are in semi-liquid
phase. In this method, we added sand in the dish as sand prevents formation of crust during
drying process and making it easier for the sample to evaporate.

A Moisture Analyser was used in the halogen drying method where the sample is weighed
before and after moisture removal. It is done when sample is heated and dried under a
halogen lamp and reading of the sample weight is taken continuously. The time taken for
banana and crackers to dry is 9.5 minutes and 2 minutes respectively. While the moisture
content banana is 71.90% and cracker is 2.36%. This is due to banana having a softer
texture than crackers. The standard deviation for banana and crackers are 0.0404 and
0.1069 respectively. Lastly is the distillation method. The distillation method is unique than
the other previous methods as the weight weighed at the end is in liquid form and not solid
form. This method does not need any sample preparation as the sample is in powdered
form. It uses toluene, an organic solvent. This is to ensure that the liquid collected at the trap
is water as toluene has a higher boiling point and lower density than water. The turmeric
powder has a moisture content of 6.15% and 6.23% moisture content for coriander powder.
The standard deviations of turmeric and coriander powder are 00.06 and 0.2150
respectively.

CONCLUSION

As a conclusion, the moisture content of carrot and vanilla cake are 87.58% and 25.30%
respectively using the oven dry method. 27.12% and 11.61% moisture content for strawberry
jam and chili sauce using the vacuum oven method. Moisture analyser indicates that banana
and cracker moisture content are 71.90% and 2.36% respectively. Lastly, turmeric and
coriander powder with a moisture content of 6.15% and 6.23% respectively.

REFERENCE

Alzamora, S., M., Barbosa-Cánovas, G., V., Chanes, J., W & et al. (2003) Handling and
Preservation of Fruits and Vegetables by Combined Methods for Rural Areas. FAO
Agricultural Services Bulletin.

Appoldt, Y. and Raihani, G. (February 3, 2017) Determinig Moisture Content. Retrieved from
https://www.foodqualityandsafety.com/article/determining-moisture-content/?
singlepage=1

Earnest, C. M. (1988) Composition Analysis by Thermogravimetry, ASTM STP 997. ASTM

International, Philidelphia.