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EXPERIMENT NO 5

AIM: - To determine the total, water and acid soluble and insoluble ash content of the given
food sample.

Apparatus required: - Weighing balance, silica crucible, burner, muffle furnace, desiccator etc.

Principle:-

The ash of the food stuff is the inorganic residue remaining after the organic matter has been
burned and when high ash is there in it and it indicates the presence of adulterants.

The acid insoluble ash is the measure of the sandy matter present in the sample. The ash is
treated with conc. HCl so that for all mineral except silica remain insoluble that can be further
calculated.

Theory:-

This method is applicable to the determination of the ash in food stuffs e.g in cereals and the
cereal product used for human consumption. Ash is defined as the quantity of the mineral mater
present in food stuff which is combustible residue after the application of the desire working
method.

Procedure:-

Total ash content:

1. Take about 10g of sample in the dried crucible.


2. Burn all the organic matter of sample in high flame on a burner for half an hour.
3. Transfer the crucible in the muffle furnace at 5500±100 C for 3 hours.
4. Cool the crucible in the desiccators.
5. Weigh the crucible to get the amount of ash obtained.

Acid soluble and insoluble ash content:

1. Dissolve the resultant ash (ash earlier obtained) in the mixture of 3-4 ml of HCl in warm
water and keep it on the hot plate.
2. Filter the content of dish through whatman filter paper no. 1.
3. Wash the filter paper with water until washing are free from the acid content and can be
check with the help of pH paper.
4. Return the filter and residue to the dish.
5. Keep the dish in muffle furnace at about 550+100c for about 2 hrs. cool the dish by
keeping in desiccators and weigh the ash .

Water soluble and insoluble ash content:


1. Boil the ash with 25 ml water
2. Filter through the ashless filter paper and thoroughly wash with hot water.
3. The combined filtrates are washed which should not exceed 60ml.
4. Transfer the filter paper to the original dish.
5. Ignite, cool and note the net weight of the sample.

FORMULA USED:-

Total ash content %= (W1-W2/w)*100

W1= weight of material before ashing


W2= weight of material after ashing
W= weight of material

Acid insoluble ash content % = (W1-W2/W)*100


W1= weight in gm of crucible with ash.
W2= weight in gm of empty crucible.
W= weigh in gm of ash earlier obtained.

Water insoluble ash =W2-W1/W *100

Water soluble ash=total ash-water insoluble ash

PRECAUTION:-

1. Heat the crucible carefully.


2. Hold the crucible carefully with the help of tong.
3. Do not exceed 60 ml while washing
4. Carefully transfer the filter paper and note the net weight.

RESULT:-

 Ash content of given sample is________.


 The total amount of acid insoluble ash is ______.
 Water insoluble ash….% and water soluble ash is…%

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