Identifying different nutrients using food tests:

Background Information: Derived from Biology Online, reducing sugars are a type of sugar that have the ability to
donate an electron to other molecules. All monosaccharides, such as glucose, fructose, and galactose, are reducing
sugars. Furthermore, lactose and maltose also reduce sugars.

As explained by Biology Online. Starch (C₆H₁₀O₅) is a complex carbohydrate. Starch is made out of several glucose
monomers bonded together by glycosidic bonds, which makes it a polysaccharide. For humans, starch is a source of
glucose (used in metabolism).

Based on MedlinePlus, proteins do most of the work in the cell. Proteins are essential for the regulation, structure,
and function of the body’s tissues. Different proteins have different functions. Proteins are made out of polypeptides
which are in turn made out of amino acids, joined by peptide bonds(Biology Online). The sequence of amino acids
determines the function and structure of the protein (Luna 9).

Based on Cleveland Clinic, lipids are fatty compounds that have a variety of functions in the body. Certain lipids can
transport and store energy, send messages in cells, or metabolize to create energy. Those macromolecules are made
out of monomers. Those monomers are glycerol and 3 fatty acids.

As per Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Benedict’s test is a chemical test that detects reducing sugars in a sample.
When a reducing sugar is heated with an alkali, it is converted into an enediol, which is a powerful reducing agent.
This causes the cupric ions (Cu²⁺) in Benedict’s reagent to be reduced to cuprous ions (Cu⁺). The cuprous ions then
form copper(I) oxide, which precipitates as a brick-red compound. When the solution turns into a brick-red
compound, is it a sign that there was a presence of reducing sugars in the sample?

According to Biology Online, the iodine test allows one to detect the presence of starch in a sample. When the
brown IKI solution is in contact with water, the potassium iodide dissociates from the iodine, which leads to the
formation of polyiodides (they are negatively charged). Once the polyimides come in contact with amylase (found in
starch), they fit into the amylase helix, which turns the solution blue-black.

In summary, based on Biology online, a biuret test can test for proteins, as the copper (II) is able to bind to the
nitrogen atoms present in the protein peptides. This complex is from a substance that absorbs more light, making it
appear violet.

According to Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Sudan III is a red dye that colors nonpolar substances such as oils or
fats. In the Sudan III test, the red dye colors only the lipids in the sample, dyeing it red.

Bananas (fructose), potatoes (starch), egg albumin (proteins), and coconut oil (lipids) were selected as food samples
because they are known to contain the macromolecules being tested.

Material List:

1)​ Glassware: 4 15cm3 Testubes (±0.1 cm3), 250 cm3 Beaker (±5cm3), 4 25cm3 Dropper pipettes (±0.2 cm3),
burner, Test Tube rack
2)​ Reagents: Benedict’s solution, Iodine Solution, Sudan III solution, NaOH solution, CUSO4 solution
3)​ Food Sample: 5cm3 of Banana extract (for Benedict’s test), 5cm3 Potato Extrat (for Iodine Test), 5 cm3 of
Egg albumin (for Biuret test), 5cm3 Coconut oil ( for Sudan III test)
4)​ Safety Items: Gloves, Goggles

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 Methods:

Because the experimentation is an online simulation is the reason why mentions of other factors are not as controlled
as in a real-life experiment.

-​ Benedict’s Test:
1)​ Go to https://www.olabs.edu.in/?sub=79&brch=17&sim=205&cnt=4 . Select: carbohydrates, glucose,
Benedict’s Test
2)​ Take the pipet out of Benedict’s solution, and over the Banana Extract (5cm3) to release 10 drops. Then,
take that test tube, and place in the heated (75°C) beaker. And wait for a bit
3)​ Wait for the test tube to float itself out, and recode the color.
-​ Iodine test:
1)​ Go to https://www.olabs.edu.in/?sub=79&brch=17&sim=205&cnt=4 . Select: carbohydrates, starch, iodine
test
2)​ Take the pipet out of the “iodine” bottle, and place it over the Potato Extract test tube (5cm3) to release a
few drops. Record the color.
-​ Biuret Test:
1)​ Go to https://www.olabs.edu.in/?sub=79&brch=17&sim=205&cnt=4 . Select: proteins, biuret test
2)​ Drag the pipet from the NaOH (1cm3) bottle over the Egg Albunim test tube (2cm3) . Then do the same
for the Cuso4 (5cm3). Record the color change
-​ Sudan III:
1)​ Go to https://www.olabs.edu.in/?sub=79&brch=17&sim=205&cnt=4 . Select: fats, Sudan III
2)​ Drag the pipet from the Sudan III and drop 3 drops it into the Coconut oil test tube (5cm3) . Then drag the
test tube upwards and release it. After it has been shaken, observe if it a positive test by seeing if there are
red dots. Recode what you see

Data Table:

Test Trial # Food Initial Final Color Result Data Interpretation

Benedicts’s #1 Banana Yellow brick-red positive Overall, The same result is happening. Banana
test Extract extract continuously has a positive result when
tested for reducing sugar by Benedict’s Test.
#2 Banana Yellow brick-red positive This trend assures the fact that Banana Extract
Extract has reduced sugars in it. This is known due to
the color change, from yellow to brick-red.
#3 Banana Yellow brick-red positive
Extract

Iodine test #1 Potato Yellow blue-black positive Potato extract tested positive for starch with
Extract iodine test, in all 3 trials. This means it contains
starch. We know the test is positive, because the
#2 Potato Yellow blue-black positive color of the sample changed from yellow to
Extract blue-black.

#3 Potato Yellow blue-black positive

Biuret Test #1 Egg Gray-Whi Purple positive Egg albumin also was tested all positive by the
Albumin te Biuret test. This means that the food sample

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 #2 Egg Gray-Whi Purple positive contained proteins. This is known because the
Albumin te sample went from gray-white to purple, which
was due to the solution’s reaction with starch.
#3 Egg Gray-Whi Purple positive
Albumin te

Sudan III #1 Coconut Transpare Transparent positive Coconut Oil was tested using the Sudan III. And
test Oil nt dotted in red because there was an apparent red dotted pattern
in the sample after introducing the Sudan II
#2 Coconut Transpare Transparent positive solution. This means that the oil contains lipids,
Oil nt dotted in red and Sudan III only dies lipids.

#3 Coconut Transpare Transparent positive

Data Interpretation: Throughout the experiment, all food samples tested positive for their macromolecules, as
indicated by consistent color changes. For example, in the Biuret test, egg albumin turned from gray-white to purple
due to copper binding with nitrogen in peptide bonds. This makes sense as egg albumin is known to contain protein,
which is why it tested positive.

The consistency of the results assures the tests' reliability. As shown in the data, banana extract tested positive with
Benedict’s test because reducing sugars reduced cupric ions to copper(I) oxide, producing a brick-red color. This
supports the scientific accuracy of each test. Bananas do have reducing sugars, it has fructose in it, which is the
reason why it got tested positive.

Similarly, the Iodine and Sudan III tests confirmed starch and lipids in potato extract and coconut oil, respectively.
The iodine test turned blue-black as polyiodides fit into the amylase helix, while Sudan III selectively stained lipids
red, confirming coconut oil's lipid content. Potato does contain starch (and thus amylase), while coconut contains
lipids. This explains why they tested positive for the Iodine Test and Sudan III test.

Due to the fact that is was an online simulation, the color change could be observed, and thus, I was unable to
determine the concentration of the macromolecules in the samples.

Improvements:

Improvement Part of the method affected Specification

Have a more precise Observing the color of the test Since the test was conducted online, accurately interpreting color changes
color reading tube was impossible. However using a colorimeter would provide precise
quantitative data on the concentration of the macromolecule tested, which
would have improved accuracy and reliability across trials.

A larger variety of The Food sample used A larger variety of food samples would ensure the reliability of the test,
food samples across different foods and situations. Currently, because only 1 food was
tested by the test, the results are not reliable. However, if there was a wider
range of food samples, the result would seem more reliable, as it could
have been certain that the reagent reacted due to the presence of the
macromolecule tested, and not due to other factors.

Micropipette could Using the pipette to deliver the The pipets were not precise, as in the method, it was most often measured
have been used solution to the sample in drops. Drops can vary in size. The uncontrolled sizes can lead to the

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unsaturation or the oversaturation of the solution in the sample. And could
give different results (change in color)This leads to unreliability in the
experiments. By using more precise pipettes, and micropipettes, the
administrated amounts of the reagent would have been the same and made
sure to have reliable results (similar to ones in real life).

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 WORK CITED;

https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/howgeneswork/protein/

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1657s0JgNhHQgskZbN3ScwASIr__NJPa7ywazS1IFZl8/edit#slide=id.g28ee
80de0fc_0_17

https://www.biologyonline.com/dictionary/starch

https://www.biologyonline.com/dictionary/reducing-sugar

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1657s0JgNhHQgskZbN3ScwASIr__NJPa7ywazS1IFZl8/edit#slide=id.g28ee
80de0fc_0_22

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24425-lipids

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13H1urX3gxI

https://www.mlsu.ac.in/econtents/1850_Benedict%20test.pdf

https://www.biologyonline.com/dictionary/iodine-test

https://www.biologyonline.com/dictionary/biuret-test

https://www.mlsu.ac.in/econtents/1849_Sudan%20III%20(1).pdf