Tag: food components

The leaf on the right shows a positive test for starch in the areas which contained chlorophyll, and a negative test for starch in the areas which lack chlorophyll. This is evidence that chlorophyll is required for photosynthesis. A plant can be 'de-starched' by leaving it in the dark for a few hours. So, the correct option is "C" (Starch will be found only in the part of the leaf exposed to light).

The iodine test is used for the determination of the presence of starch in a sample. Molecular iodine is not soluble in water and hence potassium iodide is added to it. Together they form polyiodide complex which upon addition of starch turns intense blue-black colour. Starch is a polymer of amylose and amylopectin, of which amylose is responsible for the blue colour of the reaction. In the absence of starch solution remain as light brown colour which is the colour of iodine solution.

Gastric acid is a digestive fluid, formed in the stomach. It is composed of hydrochloric acid (HCl) 0.05–0.1 M (roughly 5,000–10,000 parts per million) potassium chloride (KCl) and sodium chloride (NaCl). The acid plays a key role in digestion of proteins, by activating digestive enzymes, and making ingested proteins unravel so that digestive enzymes break down the long chains of amino acids. The highly acidic environment in the stomach lumen causes proteins from food to lose their characteristic folded structure (or denature). This exposes the protein's peptide bonds. The gastric chief cells of the stomach secrete enzymes for protein breakdown (inactive pepsinogen, and in infancy rennin). Hydrochloric acid activates pepsinogen into the enzyme pepsin, which then helps digestion by breaking the bonds linking amino acids, a process known as proteolysis. In addition, many microorganisms have their growth inhibited by such an acidic environment, which is helpful to prevent infection. HCl is digestive juice. Fatty acids are digested by bile acids.

Iodine test is used to distinguish between the presence of starch and glycogen and other saccharides.
When starch solution is treated with iodine, it gives a blue color. The blue color develops because of the trapping of iodine in the helical coils of amylose. When this test solution is heated, the color disappears due to disruption of the helical coils of amylose and the color reappears upon cooling, due to the reformation of helical coils. Glycogen however gives red color with iodine.
Therefore, the correct answer is option B.

• Raw potato contains approximately 17% starch. when iodine solution added to the raw potato sample, it turns blue-black. Iodine reacts with the starch present in the raw potato which results in the formation of blue-black colored complex. 

When two drops of copper sulphate and ten drops of caustic soda or NaOH is added to egg, it turns violet. This indicates the presence of proteins.
This is Biuret's test and the principle is simple as follows:
In the presence of alkaline medium (caustic soda or NaOH), the Cu2+ ions get reduced to Cu+ and binds to the egg proteins, thereby giving a violet color.
Therefore, the correct answer is option B.

Shake or crush the food to make it dissolve. Filter or dilute the food and ethanol mix so that you get a clear liquid (a solution of fat in ethanol). Add this to a test tube of water. A white (milk-like) emulsion indicates the presence of fats or oils.

The iodine test is used to test for the presence of starch. Iodine dissolved in an aqueous solution of potassium iodide reacts with the starch, producing a purple-black colour. The intensity of the colour decreases with increasing temperature and with the presence of water-soluble organic solvents, such as ethanol.