Experiment 1

Date Performed: Aug. 18, 2016 Date Finished: Aug. 25, 2016

Determination of Moisture and Total Solids

Jo Hanzelle Tadlas
Group No. 2

Date Submitted: Sept. 1, 2016

INTRODUCTION
Proximate analysis is the determination of closely related components, which
includes the determination of the amount of water, protein, fat, ash and fiber and
moisture content (Hart, Fisher, 1971).
The experiment focused mainly on moisture content determination of the white
fleshed variety of sweet potatoes (Ipomea batatas).
Sweet potatoes are tropical tubers, native to South America and were introduced
in the Philippines in the 16 th century; there are currently 1,586 varieties of sweet
potatoes within the country but 30 sweet potato varieties are released by the National
Seed Industry Council. All parts of the sweet potato are utilized for various uses, for
example, in food, beverage, alcohol production and for animal feeds. It is also
processed as bakery products, candies, pastries and chips (Altoveros, Borromeo,
2007).
Moisture content or mc is defined by Shelly (2008) as the amount of water in any
material at any given time, and is determined by measuring the mass of the sample
before and after removal of the water through evaporation. This value can be expressed
on a dry or wet basis, the former being the weight of the remaining food sample after
drying, or in other terms, the total solids. Through the following equation, the final
moisture content can be calculated,
Moisture=

M initial M dried
x 100
M initial

Where Minitial is the initial mass of the product, or mass before drying, and M dried is the
mass of the dried sample.
The moisture content of a particular sample can be analyzed through a number
of ways, directly or indirectly and either by chemical dessication with the use of moisture
absorbing reagents, gas chromatography, oven drying and many others.
The objectives of this experiment were to identify the moisture content of sweet
potatoes, have the students learn the principles and methods of proximate analysis,

specifically of moisture content determination, determine the factors that can affect
moisture content and its functions in the food industry.

METHODOLOGY
The laboratory equipment and materials that were used for this experiment were
the drying oven, analytical balance, desiccator, cabinet dryer, 5 aluminum boxes,
crucible tongs, chopping boards, peelers and knives.
There were two parts of the experiment, the first part included the
preparation of the samples for this experiment, up to next ones, and the moisture
content determination proper.
The sample used by the group were sweet potatoes, bought in the Miag-ao
market.
Sample Preparation
The sweet potatoes were washed, peeled, and with the use of a peeler, sliced
into thin strips. They were diced and divided into two portions, 25 grams for the moisture
determination, and the remaining portion was to be dried in the cabinet dryer for five
hours.
Moisture Content Determination
The 25-gram portion was further divided into five aluminum boxes which were
made prior, meaning five grams were allotted for each box after being tared.
The boxes were then placed in an oven dryer for at least five hours, at 105 C.
After drying, the boxes with the samples were placed in the desiccator to cool down to
room temperature and weighed. They were then placed back in the oven and dried for
another 30 minutes cooled and reweighed a number of times until the weights differ by
no more than 0.001 gram.
The group afterwards computed for the moisture content of the sample and the
total solids using the equation provided.

RESULTS
Sample

Before

After

No.

Drying

drying for minutes

hour

hours

hours

5.2410
4.8834
4.9801

five hours
2.0203
2.0231
2.0710

2.0196
2.0223
2.0710

2.0189
2.0210
2.0704

2.0180
2.0220
2.0701

1
3
4

After

2.0237
2.0272
2.0764

30 After

1 After

1.5 After

Table 2. Moisture Content Values of Samples in Dry and Wet Basis

Sample No.
1
3
4
Average

Dry Basis (% Total Solids)

Wet Basis (% Moisture

38.5041
41.4056
41.5674
40.4924%

Content)
61.4959
58.5944
58.4326
59.5076%

DISCUSSIONS
As stated before, the moisture content is defined as the amount of water in a
sample that is present at any given time. This would indicate that techniques or
methods used to determine mc is dependent on the difference of the water from other
proponents of the food. To be able to do this, the different types of water in the food
must also be identified.
Two types of water can be found in food, namely the bulk or free water, and
capillary or trapped water (McClements, 2016). The bulk water is free from other
constituents in the food, meaning only other water molecules surround it, and it can be
easily pressed out of the food sample. Capillary water or bound water, on the other
hand, is trapped in narrow spaces between certain food components because of the
capillary forces that bind them with the other components of the food.
Moisture content deals with the amount of free water available within the sample,
and is the water evaporated in the oven dry method used in the experiment.

Based on the study by Rose and Vasanthakaalam (2011), the value of the
moisture content of white-fleshed sweet potato variety is approximately 62.5% on a wet
basis with the use of the oven dry method as well. The group was able to constantly
weigh the sweet potato sample, and achieve a moisture content value of 59.5076%
which is close to the approximation of the source.
Drying and freezing are common preservation methods which focus on the
control of the amount of free water in the food; this is because the available water
serves as the medium of growth of spoilage or even pathogenic microorganisms
(Vaclavik, Christian, 1998). This, in turn, is the reason why moisture content is
measured in a particular product.
There are also other functions as to why moisture content must be measure, one
of them being able to produce stable and quality food, as the texture, taste and
appearance may depend on the amount of water they have (McClements, 2016).
Another one of its function is for the industry to be compliant with legal and
labeling requirements, as there are limits to the maximum and minimum amount of
water that should be in a particular food commodity (McClements, 2016).
Having the measured moisture content would also enable analysts to predict how
a certain food product would react to various types of food processing operations,
whether or not that process would be good for the final product quality.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Moisture content of the sweet potato samples were 40.4924% and 59.5076%,
dry and wet basis, respectively, which coincides with the previously done studies on
sweet potatoes.
Precautions were taken in this experiment as varying factors can affect the final
computation for the mc. The samples must be cooled in a dessicator before weighing to
avoid having the sample absorb moisture from the air since dried samples easily do so,
and they also needed to be cooled down as air drafts from the heat can move and affect

the weight of the sample (Nollet, 2004). The use of tongs is highly recommended as to
not get burnt by the boxes, and at the same time, not let the moisture from the students
hands get into the sample.
REFERENCES
Altoveros, N., Borromeo, T. (2007). Country report on the state of plant genetic
resources for food and agriculture. Department of Agriculture: Philippines.
Hart, L. Fisher H. (1971). Modern Food Analysis. Springer Berlin Heidelberg: Germany
Mackay, K., Palomar, M., Sanico, R. (1989). Sweet Potato Research and development
for small farmers. SEOMEO-SEARCA: Philippines.
McClements, J. (2016). Determination of moisture and total solids. Retrieved 21 August,
2016 from http://people.umass.edu/~mcclemen/581Moisture.html
Nollet, L. (2004). Handbook of Food analysis: Physical characterization and nutrition,
Vol.
1. Marcel and Dekker: United States of America.
Reeb, J. Milota, M. (1999). Moisture Content by the oven dry method for industrial
testing.
Oregon State University: United States of America.
Rose, I., Vasanthakaalam, H. (2011). Comparison of nutrient content of the different
sweet potato varieties in Rwanda. American Journal of Food and Nutrition. Kigali,
Rwanda.
Shelly, J. (2008). Moisture Content Measurement.
Vaclavik, V. Christian, E. (1998). Essentials of Food Science. Springer: United States of
America.

APPENDICES

Figure 2. The numbered aluminum boxes

before drying

Figure
Figure
1. The
3.samples
The samples
beingafter
cooled
downdrying
in thefor
dessicator
five hours

Table 1. Weights (in grams) of all replicates in the experiment before and after drying
Sample

Before

After

After

No.

drying

drying for minutes

30 After
hour

1 After

1.5 After

hours

5 hours
1
5.2410
2.0203
2.0237
2.0196
2.0189
2
5.2882
2.0249
2.0301
2.0243
2.0278
3
4.8834
2.0231
2.0272
2.0223
2.0210
4
4.9801
2.0710
2.0764
2.0710
2.0704
5
5.1722
2.3916
2.3997
2.3903
2.3880
Theoretical weight after drying = 240 grams x 30% = 72 grams (dry basis)

hours
2.0180
2.0268
2.0220
2.0701
2.3927

Experimental weight after drying = 240.3325 x 30% = 71.3921 grams (dry basis)

Raw Calculations of moisture content and total solids (Based on the last constant
weights)
Sample No.

Dry Basis (%Total Solids)

1

Average

Wet Basis (% Moisture

100 61.4959 =

Content)
[(5.2410 2.0180)/5.2410]

38.5041

*100

100 58. 5944

= 61.4959
[(4.8834 2.0220)/4.8834]

=41.4056

*100

100 58.4326

=58.5944
[(4.9801 2.0701)/4.9801]

=41.5674

*100

40.4924

=58.4326
59.5076