FOOD TEST LAB REPORT

Qualitative Analysis of Biological Molecules

Experiment #1
02.12.2021
Pool 4
AIM: To test for the biochemical present in various foods.

SKILL: MM, ORR

APPARATUS: Water bath, beakers, test tubes, test tube racks, test tube holder, measuring
cylinder, knife, pestle and mortar, dropper, spatula

MATERIALS: Benedict’s solution, hydrochloric acid, aqueous sodium hydroxide, iodine

solution, copper (II) sulphate solution, ethanol, water, standard solutions (egg albumin, glucose,
vegetable oil, starch and sucrose), banana, milk, rice

METHOD:

Part A: Perform biomolecule tests on each standard solution:

1. Iodine test for starch: Add 2 cm3 of starch suspension to the test tube. Add a few drops
of iodine and shake the test tube. Observe colour change.

2. Biuret Test for proteins: Add 2 cm3 of egg solution to the test tube. Add 2 cm 3 of
sodium hydroxide to the test tube, then shake. Add four (4) drops of copper (ii) sulphate
to the test tube and then shake again. Record observations.

3. Emulsion Test for lipids: Place 2 cm3 of oil in a test tube. Add 2 cm 3 of ethanol to the
test tube. Shake the mixture vigorously. Pour the mixture into another test tube with an
equal amount of water. Record observations.

4. Benedict’s test for reducing sugars: Add 2 cm3 of glucose to the test tube. Add 2 cm 3 of
Benedict’s solution into the test tube then shake. Place the test tube in a water bath and
boil gently for five (5) minutes. Record observations.

5. Test for non-reducing sugar: Add 2 cm3 of the sucrose solution to a test tube. Add 1
cm3 of dilute hydrochloric acid and boil for one minute. Allow the tube to cool and then
neutralise the acid with sodium hydrogen carbonate. Test with benedict’s solution.

Part B: Perform all five biomolecule tests on each food item to determine the biomolecules
present in each.

1
OBSERVATIONS

A TABLE SHOWING THE OBSERVATION OF STANDARD SOLUTIONS AND THE

RESPECTIVE TESTS

TEST SUBSTANCE TO BE TESTED OBSERVATION

A blue-black precipitate was

Iodine test for starch Starch Suspension
formed.

A purple colour was

Biuret Test for proteins Albumin
developed.

A cloudy white suspension was

Emulsion Test for lipids Oil
seen when water was added.

The initial blue colour of the

Benedict’s test for
Glucose mixture forms a brick-red
reducing sugars
precipitate.

No initial colour change. After

Test for non-reducing sucrose was hydrolysed a
Sucrose
sugar red-brown precipitate was
formed.

2
A TABLE SHOWING FOOD ITEMS AND THE RESULTING OBSERVATION AFTER EACH
WAS TESTED FOR STARCH, PROTEINS, LIPIDS, REDUCING AND NON-REDUCING
SUGARS ALONG WITH RESPECTIVE INFERENCES

TEST SUBSTANCE TO BE TESTED OBSERVATIONS INFERENCE

The banana paste

Banana turned to a black
colour.
Iodine test for
There was a white to
starch
Milk yellow colour change.

Rice There was a blue black

colour change.

Banana
The paste had a green
colour change.

There was a white to

Milk
purple colour change.
Biuret Test for
proteins There was a pale yellow
colour change when
NaOH was added.
There was a blue colour
change when copper
(II) sulphate was added.
Rice

Banana No visible
changes/observations.

There were no
Emulsion Test for
Milk observable changes.
lipids
There was no colour
change or separation of
Rice layers.

Banana A brick-red precipitate

was formed.
Benedict’s test for
reducing sugars There was a white to
Milk blue to orange-yellow
colour change.

3
 There was a blue colour
change when Benedict’s
solution was added.
Rice

Banana A colour change from

blue to dirty green
occurred.

Milk There was a white to

purple to orange-yellow
Test for colour change.
non-reducing sugar

There was a dark blue

Rice colour change when
Benedict’s Solution was
added.