Proximate Analysis

What is proximate analysis?

It is a system of analysis that

provides top level results in
analytical determinations of food and
feed component as moisture content,
protein , crude fat, crude fiber, ash,
total lipids and total sugars.
Moisture
 Moisture Content

Determination of moisture defines

the dry matter composition of food.
Determination of moisture content
based on physical removal of water
 Oven drying at 105 o
Applicable in most foods except those rich in
sugar and fat causes caramelization of
sugars and degradation of unsaturated fats.
Sample is heated in an oven at 105o f o r 5
hours.
Kjeldahl Method
Method used for protein
determination through total
nitrogen.
Uses Selenium mixture as
catalyst.
Adds Sodium thiosulphate in
the solution to prevent and
break ammonium and catalyst
complex
Digestion with sulphuric acid

Oxidation of oxygen and

hydrogen into carbon dioxide
and water.
Conversion of bound nitrogen
into ammonium ion.
Results in colorless solution.

Sample + H2SO4 (NH4)2SO4(aq) +

CO2(g) + SO2(g) + H2O(g)
Distillation with naoh
(NH4)2SO4 is distilled with
NaOH which is then
converted to ammonia.
Consequently, the generated
gas is trapped in Boric acid
upon distillation.
(NH4)2SO4(aq) + 2NaOH
Na2SO4(aq) + 2H2O(l) +
2NH3(g)
Titration with acid
The generated
ammonium ion is in
equilibrium with boric
acid, thus titration with
acid (HCl) of the boric
acid gives the amount
of total nitrogen
present in the sample.
H2BO3+ H3O+ + B(OH)3(aq)
+ H2O
Crude Fat
 goldfisch method
Continuous solvent extraction
method
Solvent continuously boils over
sample held in ceramic thimble.
Extracts lipids through non-polar
solvents like diethyl ether, hexane,
petroleum ether or methylene
chloride
 Extraction times range from 4-16 hrs
Solvent is removed by evaporation
Fat content is measured by weight
loss of the sample or by weight of fat
removed.
 Weende Method
Developed in 1884 by
Hennenburg and Stohman for
determiation on crude fiber.
Uses boiling sulphuric acid to to
separate fiber from other
component by hyrolyzing
carbohydrates and other protein
components.
 Uses Sodium hydroxide as
alkali slution for saponifying
remaining lipids and
dissolving remaining
minerals.
Sample is ignited at 600o to
oxidize fiber.
ASH
 Gives an index of total mineral
content of the sample
Can detect possible adulterations in
the sample such as soil, salt, dirt etc.
 Sample is ignited at 600o until white
ash.
Ash content is determined through
difference in sample weight.
 Phenol-Sulphuric method
Sample is degraded by
sulphuric acid to furfural
Addition of phenol creates
a orange colored complex
 Color intensity is
related to sugar
content
Sugar content is
measured
spectrophotometrically
at 490nm.
Phosphorus
Ascorbic acid method

Requires full conversion of

phosphorus content to
orthophosphate
Uses acidic medium for
reaction to tae place
 Ammonium-molybdate and
antimony-potassium tartrate reacts
with orthophosphate dilute solution
to form intense blue complex.
Complex not stable so must be read
within 30 min upon addition of
mixed reagent.
 Formed complex is proportional
to the Phosphorus content and
thus spectroscopic analysis at
880 nm gives total phosphorus
content.
Nesvita Cereal
Milk Drink
xperimental Results
 Moisture content

Weight of container + sample, g 25.6852 28.1863

Constant wt. of sample upon 25.614 28.1188
drying, g
% moisture content 0.277 % 0.2394 %
Average moisture content, % 0. 2563 %
Literature value n/a
 ASh

Weight of container + sample, g 23.0186 26.4774

Constant wt. of sample upon 22.7328 25.2412
ignition, g
% ash content 8.1202% 4.195%
Average ash content, % 6.1577%
Literature value 7.333%
 Crude Fat

Weight of sample, g 1.0077 1.0103

Constant wt. of goldfisch 54.0026 63.7501
beaker, g
Constant wt. of sample upon 54.0618 63.8053
analysis, g
% crude fiber content 5.875 % 5.464%
Average crude fiber content, % 5.669%
Literature value 7.667%
 Crude Fiber

Weight of sample, g 0.2980 0.2960

Constant wt. of sample before 25.5280 17.6608
ignition, g
Constant wt. of sample after 25.5186 17.6546
ignition, g
% crude fiber content 3.1543 % 2.0946 %
Average crude fiber content, % 2.584%
Literature value 6.333%
 Crude Protein

Weight of sample, g 0.1012 0.1009

Normality of HCl, N 0.1010 0.1010
Average Normality of HCl, N 0.1022
% Total N 2.373 % 2.554 %
% crude protein content 14.00 % 15.07 %
Average crude fiber content, % 14.53%
Literature value 12.oo%
 Total Sugars

Weight of sample, g 0.0515 0.0498

Absorbance reading at 490 nm 0.026 0.032
(corrected)
Concentration of sample, 57.4667 64.2570
mg/ml
Average Concentration of 60.8619
sample, mg/ml
Literature value 66.67%
 Total Phosphorus

Weight of sample, g 1.1858 1.2900

Absorbance reading at 490 nm 0.619 0.734
(corrected)
Concentration of sample, 16.129 18.186
mg/100 g
Average Concentration of 17.157
sample, mg/100 g
Literature value n/a
 Conclusion

The experimental value of the

Nesvita Cereal Milk drink is almost as
close to the literature value cited
from the product.
Some errors
For moisture analysis- excess
experimental value could be
attributed to formation of milliard
product (protein:carbohydrate
complex) which can be mistaken for
moisture loss.
 For ash- volatilization of some elements due
to hi temperature process

For fat- incomplete extraction may have made

 For protein slight difference may be
due to assumption that all nitrogen
present is in the form of protien.
 For fiber- acid and base solubilize
some of the true fiber (particularly
hemicellulose, pectin and lignin)
Cellulose too is partially lost. Hence,
crude fiber underestimates true fiber.
THE END