INTRODUCTION

In the middle Ages, scurvy was only one disease among many which afflicted sea sailors in
Europe. It occurred very often since amount of vitamin C was inadequate during long ocean
voyage. Citrus fruits were used to cure this disease at that time. The early research on vitamin
C was carried out by in 1747 by James Lind, a surgeon of the Royal Navy 1
Ascorbic acid, also referred as L-ascorbic acid or vitamin C, is an essential water-soluble
vitamin. It cannot be synthesized by the human bodies and must be ingested regularly to keep
the immune system working in peak condition. Food is the only source of vitamin C for
human. Deficiency of this vitamin results in scurvy, the symptoms of which are haemorrhages
in the gums, skin, bones and joints and the failure of wound healing2.
The daily requirement recommended for vitamin C is comprised between 30 and 100 mg per
day depending on the person3. It is generally regarded as being nontoxic. With excessive
dietary intakes almost all the ingested amount is excreted in the urine4.
The chemical characteristics of vitamin C make it an important reagent in the preservation of
processed food products. The antioxidant, reducing properties, nitrosamine blocking and
metal sequestering capacities of ascorbic acid have resulted in its use in the production of
brewed products, stabilization of vegetable oils, animal fats, margarine and other food
products5.
Titrimetric is the earliest method used in determination of ascorbic acid. The indicator in this
titrimetric oxidation is 2,6-dichorophenol indophenol which produces a reddish solution when
added to acidified water. When the indicator is reduced, the solution becomes colourless. At
the equivalence point, any addition of 2,6-dichorophenol indophenol will cause the solution to
be red. However, the technique is very susceptible to interference from reducing agents such
as sulphur dioxide, metal ions, and reducing sugars which are found in vitamins solutions.
In this study, iodine solution which was prepared by mixing potassium iodide (KI) and
potassium iodate (KIO3) with sulphuric acid reacts as titrating reagent. The endpoint is

1 Machlin L.J. (1991). Handbook of Vitamins. 2nd Ed. Marcel Dekker, Inc. Page 208
2 Ball, G.F.M (1994). Water-Soluble Vitamin Assays in Human Nutrition. Chapman & Hall.
Page 79.
3 Machlin L.J. (1991). Handbook of Vitamins. 2nd Ed. Marcel Dekker, Inc. Page 196-198
4 Ball, G.F.M (1994). Water-Soluble Vitamin Assays in Human Nutrition. Chapman & Hall.
Page 88.
5 Machlin L.J. (1991). Handbook of Vitamins. 2nd Ed. Marcel Dekker, Inc. Page 204

indicated by the reaction of iodine with start suspension, which produces a blue-black
product.