NAME: ______________________________________________________

PART ONE
There will be NO tasting in this experiment.
MATERIALS
Iodine
Include some other foods that you have brought to class for this experiment.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. You are going to test whether this food product is starch or not.
2. HINT: When the iodine solution turns blue-black you will know it is a starch.
3. Use a dropper and drop iodine solution on each food presented on the petri
dish.
4. Complete the table: Put a tick (√) next to the food that turns blue-black – this
is starch.
Put a cross (x) next to the food product that stays brown – this is not a starch.
5. Use any other five food products that you have brought and test for the
presence of starch.
Specimen Name of food product Starch or not?
(√) or (x)

1 Banana

2 Potato

3 Marshmallow

4 Tuk crackers

5 Bread

10
RUBRIC

PART TWO
QUESTIONS
List TWO characteristics of starch. (2)

What can you say about the difference between a starch and a sugar based on
taste? (2)
Sugars are sweet, starches are not

Which test do you think is more accurate to test for starch - the taste test or the
iodine starch test? Give a reason for your answer. (2)
Using TASTE to check if a food is a sugar or a starch is not very reliable. There is
a special test that scientists use to see if a food product is a starch or not. It is
called the iodine starch test. Iodine solution is a special solution that is normally a
brown liquid

Underline the correct answer:

Iodine solution is a special solution that is normally a brown (liquid / solid / gas). (1)
Is iodine an element or compound? Shade in the correct answer. (1)
Element Compound

What is the symbol for iodine? (1)

I I2 Io
Did you think animal products such as cheese and boiled egg contain starch? Why
do you think so? (2)