Principal

components of food
Principal components

 Proteins
 Carbohydrates
 Fats and oils
Proteins

 Function – maintains the structure

and proper functioning of all living
organisms.
 Structure – a polymer formed from
about 20 amino acids by peptide
linkage.
Some amino acids

COOHCOOH COOH
H 2N C H C H N C H
H 2N 2
H CH3
CH2COOH
Aminoethanoic
2-Aminopropanoic
acid Aminobutanoic acid
acid
(Aspartic acid)
(Glycine)
(Alanine)
Peptide linkage
H R H R’
H N CH C OH H N CH C OH
O O
-H2O

H R H R’
N CH C N CH C
O O

Peptide linkage
Hydrolysis of proteins

 Breaks the peptide linkages

in a protein molecule
 The composition of the
protein molecule may be
deduced by using paper
chromatography
Hydrolysis of proteins
H R H R’
N CH C N CH C
O O
acid

H R H R’
N CH C OH H N CH C
O O
Past paper questions

1. 2001 6c
2. 2001 6d
3. 2000 7b
Carbohydrates
 Function – provide energy
 Formula – Cx H2yOy
 Monosaccharides C6H12O6 (glucose,
fructose)
 Disaccharide C12H22O11 (sucrose,
maltose)
 Polysaccharides (C6H10O5)n (starch,
cellulose)
Stereoisomers of C6H12O6

H H H H H H

H C C* C* C* C* C O

OH OH OH OH OH

4 chiral carbons

24 = 16 stereoisomers
Glucose
Glucose

 Open chain (acyclic

form)
 Two Ring forms (cyclic
form)
– M.p. 146oC , 150oC
– Optical rotations
• +112o , +19o → +52.7o
Fructose
Reducing sugars
Reducing sugars
Disaccharides
Maltose
Maltose
Sucrose
Polysaccharides

 Carbohydrate polymers
 Storage polysaccharides
– Energy storage – starch and glycogen
 Structural polysaccharides
– Use to provide protective walls to cells -
cellulose
Starch
Cellulose
Hydrolysis of sucrose
 Sucrose,like all disaccharides, is
hydrolysed by dilute mineral acids to
two monosaccharides, glucose and
fructose
H+
 C12H22O11 + H2O → C6H12O6 + C6H12O6
glucose fructose

 Thereaction can be effected by

enzyme
Hydrolysis of starch
 A solution of starch can be hydrolysed in the
presence of an enzyme to a disaccharide,
maltose.
 2(C6H10O5)n +nH2O → nC12H22O11(maltose)
 It starch is boiled with dilute sulphuric acid, it
is hydrolyzed to a monosaccharide, glucose.
(C6H10O5)n +nH2O → nC6H12O6
Past paper questions

1. 2001 7c
2. 2000 6c
3. 1998 7b
Fats and oils
Triglyceride
Fatty acids
Fatty acid
Fatty acid
Hardening of vegetable oil

 Unsaturated oils usually have a

lower melting point and exist as a
liquid.
 Hydrogenation of some of the
C=C bonds converts to solid fats.
 E.g. Margarine
Hydrolysis of fats and oils
 Fats and oils are hydrolysed into carboxylic
acid and glycerol in human body.
 The substances are then used as fuel, or
used in building cell membranes and fatty
tissues.
 In laboratory, hydrolysis can be carried out in
an alkaline medium (i.e. saponification)
Iodine value

 Unsaturated fat is considered desirable

in our diet.
 Iodine value is defined as the number of
grams of iodine that reacts with 100
grams of fats/oils.
 Fats / Oils Iodine values

Animal fats Butter 25-30

Dripping 35-65
Lard 45-65
Vegetable Coconut oil 8-10
oils
Cotton seed oil 80-140
Ground-nut oil 85-105
Olive oil 80-90
Almond oil 90-110
Corn oil 115-130
Rancidity

 Rancidity is caused by reactions of fats

/ oils which release foul smelling
aldehydes and fatty acids.
 Two types:
– Hydrolytic rancidity
– Oxidative rancidity
Hydrolytic rancidity
 Occurs as a result of hydrolysis of
glyceride molecules to glyerol and free
carboxylic acids by the presence of
moisture in the oils.
 E.g. Frying of chips in oil at high temp.
 The reaction is speeded up in the
presence of certain micro-organisms or
enzymes.
Oxidative rancidity
 Occurs when fats/oils are exposed to air
and undergo oxidation.
 Fats/oils have a high degree of
unsaturation are more susceptible to
oxidation.
 The oxidation is a free radical
mechanism and is accelerated by trace
metals, light and free radical initiators.
Past paper questions

1. 2000 6a
2. 1999 7d