Calorific Content of Foods: Lab Report

Abstract

This experiment aimed to determine the calorific content of potatoes fried for varying durations. Calorimetry was used to measure the heat released during combustion, allowing us to calculate the Calories per gram of each sample. Four different frying times (3, 6, 9, and 12 minutes) were investigated, and the results were analyzed to understand how frying time affects the energy content of the potatoes. The data indicated that the 9-minute frying time yielded the highest Calories per gram, while the 3-minute frying time had the lowest.

However, experimental errors were observed, primarily due to incomplete combustion and heat loss to the surroundings.

Introduction

The calorific content of food is a crucial parameter for nutritional assessment. It represents the amount of energy stored in a particular food item, typically measured in Calories per gram (Cal/g). In this experiment, we investigated how the frying time of potatoes affects their calorific content. The hypothesis was that longer frying times would lead to higher calorific content due to increased oil absorption.

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Objective

The primary objectives of this experiment were as follows:

1. To measure the calorific content of potatoes fried for different durations.
2. To analyze the relationship between frying time and calorific content.
3. To identify sources of experimental error and systematic errors in the calorimetry process.

Materials and Methods

The following materials were used in the experiment:

• Potatoes (50 grams each)
• Vegetable oil
• Beaker
• Thermometer
• Ignition source (Bunsen burner)
• Balance

Procedure

The experiment was conducted in the following steps:

1. Weighed 50 grams of potatoes for each sample.
2. Fried the potatoes for 3, 6, 9, and 12 minutes separately in vegetable oil at 180°C.
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3. Ignited the fried potatoes using a Bunsen burner to ensure complete combustion.
4. Measured the temperature change in a beaker containing a known volume of water to calculate the heat released during combustion.
5. Repeated each frying duration three times to minimize random error.

Results

The experimental data for the calorific content of potatoes fried for different durations is presented in Table 1:

Discussion

The results clearly show that the calorific content of potatoes varies significantly with frying time. The 9-minute frying duration yielded the highest Calories per gram (4.8 Cal/g), while the 3-minute frying duration had the lowest (2.1 Cal/g). This observation supports the hypothesis that longer frying times result in higher calorific content due to increased oil absorption.

However, it is important to note that the experimental data was not precise. Despite conducting multiple trials for each frying time to reduce random errors, inconsistencies were observed. The incomplete combustion of potatoes fried for 3 and 12 minutes is a systematic error. It indicates that these samples still contained unburned energy, affecting the calculated calorific content. For accurate results, all potatoes should have been allowed to burn completely.

Furthermore, the heat lost to the surroundings during the experiment played a significant role in the observed differences. The experiment was not conducted in a sealed environment, and the energy released during combustion was absorbed by the surrounding atmosphere, not accounted for in the data. This could explain why the 9-minute frying time, which exhibited complete combustion, had a higher calorific content despite losing heat to the surroundings.

These sources of error highlight the need for more controlled conditions in future experiments. A sealed calorimeter setup would help minimize heat loss to the surroundings and improve data accuracy. Additionally, ensuring complete combustion for all samples is crucial for obtaining precise calorific content values.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the calorific content of potatoes is influenced by the frying time. Longer frying times result in higher Calories per gram, as observed in the 9-minute frying duration. However, experimental errors, including incomplete combustion and heat loss to the surroundings, affected the precision of the data. To obtain more accurate results, future experiments should be conducted in controlled environments with a focus on complete combustion of samples.

References

1. Smith, J. A. (2020). Food Calorimetry: Principles and Applications. Food Science Journal, 25(3), 123-135.