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Starch Experiment
State the Problem:
What foods or vegetables contain starch?
Research the Problem:
Before we start, we need to know more about starch. Studies show
that starch is white, odorless, tasteless carbohydrate powder
soluble in cold water. This information will help us extract
starch from our samples for more accurate tests. If we have any
colorful fruit or vegetables for test, we can eliminate the chance
of mixed colors and inaccurate tests. Starch also plays a vital
role in the biochemistry of both plants and animals. It is made
in green plants by photosynthesis, and is one of the main forms
in which plants store food. Animals obtain starch from plants
and store it as glycogen. Both plants and animals convert starch
to glucose when energy is needed. Commercially, starch is made
chiefly from corn and potatoe.
Hypothesis:
Starch is a substance in most fruits and vegetables, which means
that it is most likely in the vegetable and fruit samples. Since
starch is an inexpensive and widely available food product, it
is being used as a food additive in many food products.
Experiment:
In order to perform this project, we must use Iodine solution
as a reagent for starch. One drop of this solution on any sample
can detect starch by changing the color of the tested area to
dark blue.
We will be using the following samples:
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Fruits and Vegetables |
Food Products |
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Rice |
Milk |
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Potatoes |
Yogurt |
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Grains |
Ice Cream |
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Apples |
Macaroni |
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Carrots |
Nuts |
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Broccoli |
Cereal |
Materials Used:
Procedure: We crush the wet samples, add cold or room temperature
water and filter the solution to get a clear liquid. Next, test
the samples of the clear liquid for starch and record the result.
Analyze Data:
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