BIOLOGY AND GEOLOGY – 3º ESO

PRACTICE FOOD AND NUTRITION: Is the food we buy reliable? Starch detection in food

Objective

- Recognize the presence of starch using Lugol's solution (iodine) in food.

Materials

-Lugol - Starch - Water - Rack with two test tubes - Tray

- Food: potatoes, biscuits, sausage, bread, sausages, cheap and expensive York ham, etc.

Introduction

Starch is a complex chemical substance (specifically a carbohydrate from the group of polysaccharides) that is part of
many type of food and has an energetic function in our body. Starch comes from plants and is very abundant in
potatoes, rice and foods with wheat.

Lugol is a solution based on iodine. Iodine turns solutions blue in presence of starch. This occurs because Lugol's
molecules adhere to starch molecules.

STARCH’S LUGOL’S
MOLECULE MOLECULE

Method

- In a test tube, make a starch solution by placing a teaspoon of starch and adding water up to a quarter of the tube. Add
a few drops of Lugol's solution and mix. This solution turns blue, indicating the interaction of lugol with starch. It will be
the positive control: “there is starch”.

- In the other test tube add only water and add a few drops of lugol. Observe the color of the solution. This will be the
negative control: “no starch”.

- On the tray, cut small pieces of different food and add one drop of lugol to each of them.

- Observe, write down the results in the table and then answer the questions.

TYPE OF FOOD STARCH NO STARCH

Activities

1) The food with starch comes from animals or plants?

2) What is the function of starch in our body?
3) What is your conclusion about the food analized in this practice?
4) Why do you think that there are different prices for same type of food (in meat products for example)?