Food Technology Study Program

Department of Food Science and Technology – Bogor Agricultural University

 Internationally Approved Undergraduate Program by IFT & IUFoST

ITP 300
Food Analysis

Food Technology Study Program

Department of Food Science and Technology, FATETA-IPB
Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
 FOOD ANALYSIS
Proximate Analysis, Determination of Moisture
and Ash in Food

Dedi Fardiaz
Department of Food Science and Technology
Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology
Bogor Agricultural University

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017

What do we mean by
Proximate Analysis?
Why do we need to
determine moisture and
ash in food?
How? What is the
principle?
Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
 PROXIMATE ANALYSIS

Estimation of the content

of major chemical
components in food:

• Moisture;
• Crude Fat;
• Crude Protein;
• Ash; and
• Carbohydrates,
commonly calculated by
difference = 100 –
(moisture + crude fat +
crude protein + ash)

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017

 Chemical
Contaminants
Vitamin,
Mineral
Contamination may occur
during food handling from
farm to table (Pesticides,
animal drugs, mycotoxin,
heavy metals, etc.)
Chemicals produced
during food porocessing
Maillard and flavor products, 3-
mcpd, trans-fatty acid, ester,
acrylamide, polar materials in fried
products, etc.
Food Additives
Permitted to be used in food
Preservatives, colorings,
intense sweeteners,
antioxidants, emulsifier, etc.
Hazardous Substances
Chemicals prohibited to be
used in food preparation
Basic Composition of Food
Dedi Fardiaz
 Why do we measure moisture content?

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
 Grain Probe (Seedburo Equipment Company, Chicago, IL.)

Ellis Sampler (Seedburo Equipment Company, Chicago, IL.)

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017

Wet Basis Moisture Content

Wet basis moisture content (designated MW in the text) is

described by the percentage equivalent of the ratio of the weight
of water (WW) to the total weight of the material (Wt).

Note that wet basis moisture content can range from 0 to 100 %

Wet basis moisture is used to describe the water content of agricultural

materials and food products. When the term "moisture content" is used in
the food industry it almost always refers to wet basis moisture content. One
important example occurs in the grain industry where moisture content of
whole grains is determined at each point in the marketing channel where
the grain changes ownership

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017

Dry Basis Moisture Content

Dry basis moisture content (designated Md in the text) is described

by the percentage equivalent of the ratio of the weight of water
(WW) to the weight of the dry matter (Wd).

Note that dry weight moisture content can range from 0 to very
large percentages.
Dry basis moisture is most commonly used for describing
moisture changes during drying. When a sample loses or gains
moisture, the change in the dry basis moisture is linearly related
to the weight loss or gain.

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017

Relationship Between Wet and Dry Basis Moisture Content

If MW, the wet basis moisture content in percent, is known, the

dry basis moisture content can be calculated using:

If Md, the dry basis moisture content in percent, is known, the

wet basis moisture content can be calculated using:

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017

 Methods in measuring moisture content?

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017

 Basic Methods of Moisture Determination in Food

Direct Methods Fast Techniques

Convection Oven Microwave Oven
Microwave Oven Halogen Moisture Analyzer
Distillation Distillation
Karl Fischer Karl Fischer
Halogen Moisture Analyzer Electrical Resistance
Infrared Heating Electrical Capacitance
NIR
NMR
Indirect Methods Infrared Heating
Electrical Resistance
Electrical Capacitance
NMR Classical Techniques
NIR Convection Oven
Karl Fischer

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017

Source: Mettler-Toledo GmbH CH-8606 Greifensee, Switzerland, Tel. (01) 944 22 11, Fax (01) 944 30 60 Internet: ttp://www.mt.com
Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
 Vacuum Oven

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017

Concentrated H2SO4 Vacuum Oven Pressure Release

To Vacuum Pump
Ice

Moisture Trap

Moisture Determination of Heat-Sensitive Food in Vacuum Oven

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
 Mettler HG53 Halogen
Moisture Analyzer

Source: Mettler-Toledo GmbH CH-8606 Greifensee, Switzerland Tel. (01) 944 22 11, Fax (01) 944 30 60 Internet: http://www.mt.com
Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
 Labwave 9000 Microwave Moisture and Solids Analyzer.

The LabWave 9000TM is capable of measuring the moisture or total

solids of liquids, slurries, and solids containing between 0.01% to
99.99% moisture. According to the manufacturer, it has a resolution
of 0.01%.

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
 Moisture Determination of Food with Chemical Dessicator

P2O5 > BaO > MgCl3 > CaCl2 > concentrated H2SO4
Higher efficiency in absorbing moisture

Rubber Lid

Sample

Drier (P2O5)

Dessicator

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
 Azeotropic Distillation

Dean and Stark Bidwell and Sterling Modified Bidwell and Sterling

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017

Water-Toluene Azeotropic Mixture
Boiling point 85.0 oC
Ratio Water:Toluene upon evaporation = 20:80

Sample with high moisture content (fruits and vegetables)

Toluen Xylene (dimethyl benzene) Tetrachlorethylene

Specific Gravity 0.866 0.861 (ortho-db) 1.600
0.867 (meta-db)
0.861 (para)

Boiling Point 110.8 oC 144.0 oC (ortho-db) 146.3 oC

138.8 oC (meta-db)
138.5 oC (para)

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
 The Karl Fischer moisture
determination technique

Mettler DL37 Coulometer with the Mettler DO337 Drying Oven attached.

The Karl Fischer moisture determination technique is based on the

fundamental reaction in which iodine is reduced by sulfur dioxide in the
presence of water. This reaction gives a recognizable endpoint (color
change). The three steps in this technique are: the extraction of water
using a chemical solvent, anhydrous methanol, from the finely ground
sample; removal of the solids through filtering; and titration of the liquid
with "Fischer" reagent containing iodine, pyridine, and sulfur dioxide.
Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
 The Karl Fischer moisture determination technique

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017

Source: Mettler-Toledo GmbH CH-8606 Greifensee, Switzerland Tel. (01) 944 22 11, Fax (01) 944 30 60 Internet: http://www.mt.com
Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
Source: Mettler-Toledo GmbH CH-8606 Greifensee, Switzerland Tel. (01) 944 22 11, Fax (01) 944 30 60 Internet: http://www.mt.com
Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
Electrical Resistance Technique
The electrical resistance technique utilizes the principle of
electrical conductance. The sample is compressed by two
plates made of a conducting material. The plates are connected
in series to an electrical current source. The conductivity of the
sample increases with an increase in the moisture content.

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017

 Electrical Capacitance Method

Capacitance meters are less affected by the

distribution of water within the grain kernels
than conductance meters. They tend to give
more accurate readings over a wider range of
moistures

Seedburo GMA 128 Grain Moisture Meter

The dielectric constants for the dry components of grains (oil, starch,
protein) vary between 2 and 5 while "free" water has a dielectric
constant of 80. Because of the significant difference between the
dielectric constants for water and dry components, changes in the
moisture content will change the capacitance reading on the meter. In
the range of 7 - 23% moisture content, the capacitance of the grain
changes significantlly with changes in moisture content.
Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
Source: Mettler-Toledo GmbH CH-8606 Greifensee, Switzerland Tel. (01) 944 22 11, Fax (01) 944 30 60 Internet: http://www.mt.com

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017

Source: Mettler-Toledo GmbH CH-8606 Greifensee, Switzerland Tel. (01) 944 22 11, Fax (01) 944 30 60 Internet: http://www.mt.com

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017

 Ash Content in Food
Ash or mineral content is the portion of the food or any organic
material that remains after it is burned at very high
temperatures.
The ash constituents include potassium, sodium, calcium and
magnesium, which are present in larger amounts as well as
smaller quantities of aluminum, iron, copper, manganese or
zinc, arsenic, iodine, fluorine and other elements present in
traces.
Determining the ash content may be important for several
reasons. It is part of proximate analysis for nutritional
evaluation. Ashing is the first step in preparing a food sample
for determination of specific elemental analysis.
When powdered foods, are heated to a temperature of about
500°C for at least four hours, the water and other volatile
constituents are evolved as vapors and the organic constituents
are burnt off in the presence of oxygen of the air, to carbon
dioxide and oxides of nitrogen and also eliminated together
with hydrogen as water.
Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017
 Determination of Ash in Food

How to Prepare Samples?

• Firstly, the sample is examined carefully
to ensure that the composition of the
food will not change significantly.
• To perform the test, a sample of 1 – 10
grams is used during the analysis of ash
content.
• Solid food products are first grounded
finely and then mixed carefully to prepare
the sample for the testing procedure.
• Before starting the analysis, products
with high level of moisture content are
first dried to prevent sprinkling during ash
determination.

Dedi Fardiaz Food Analysis, 2017