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TITLE OF EXPERIMENT:
_______________________________________________________________
Introduction (4M)
Methods (2 M)
Results (4M)
Discussion (4M)
Conclusion (3M)
References (1M)
Format (2M)
TOTAL (20M)

NAME

: ___________________________________________________

STUDENT ID

: ___________________________________________________

GROUP

: ___________________________________________________

DATE OF EXPERIMENT: ________________________________________________

DATE OF SUBMISSION : ________________________________________________

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Introduction
The moisture content of food is important to food manufactures for a variety of reasons.
Moisture is an important factor in food quality, preservation, and resistance deterioration.
Determination of moisture content also is necessary to calculate the content of other food
constituents on a uniform basis (dry weight basis). The dry matter that remain after moisture
analysis is commonly referred to as total solids.
The simplest method to measure moisture content is based on gravimetric where the loss
of weight due to water evaporation is calculated. This can be accomplish using air oven, vacumm
oven, convection oven or other sophiscated instruments such as infared lamp, halogen radiator
and microwave energy. An instrument such as Moisture Analyser used in this experiment
operates on the thermogravimetric principle. This instrument first measure the initial weight of
sample and then the sample is quickly heated by an integral halogen dryer unit to vaporize the
water. During the drying operation, weight of sample is continuously determines until at the
completion of drying, result is displayed as percent moisture content.
Other methods for moisture determination include distillation and chemical methods.
Distillation methods are particularly useful for foods of low moisture content and products
containing volatile oils such as herbs and spices, since the oils remain dissolve in the organic
solvent. However , distillation methods have often been reported to give low values and the use
of flammable solvents pose a small but significant hazard . In chemical reaction method such as
Karl Fisher, water content is determined by titration. This method is not suitable for foods or
high moisture content. It is applicable to foods that give eeratic results when heated or placed
under vacumm for example dried foods and vegetables, oils, candies and chocolate.
Regardless of the measurement used, the quality of moisture determination is based on
the sample preparation and the used of correct parameters ( for example sample size, type of
smple, drying temperature and drying time).

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1.0 OVEN DRING METHOD.
Objective :
To determine the moisture content of selected food samples using drying oven method.
Apparatus :
Aluminium dish, analytical balance, drying oven, dessicators and spatula
Method :
1) An aluminium dish with cover for 4 hours is dried in an oven at 105 0C. The dish is transferred
into the dessicator to let it cool and the dish is weighed after it has attained room temperature.
2) 5g of homogenized is weighed approximately into the aluminium dish.
3) The sample which is an uncovered is placed in the oven overnight at 60 0C or at 100-1050C for
5 hours.
4) The lid is replaced while dish is still in the oven, the dish is removed from oven. It is cooled
in dessicator and weigh soon after attaining room temperature. The weight is recorded .
5) The drying process( step 3 and step 4 ) are repeated until constant weighed is achieved.
6) The percentage of moisture is calculated.

2.0 DRYING METHOD ( MOISTURE ANALYSER )

Objective:
To determine the moisture content of selected food samples using moisture analyser.
Apparatus :
MB45 Halogen Moisture Analyser ( Ohaus Corporation ), sample pan and spatula.
Procedure:
1. The ON/OFF button is pressed to switch on the Moisture Analyser. The air bubble is make
sure in the LEVEL INDICATOR is centred.

2. The TEST MENU button is pressed and the drying parameter is set based on the following:

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Drying Temperature : 150 0C
Profile
: Standard
Switch Off Time
: 15 minutes
Display Set
: % moist
Target weight
: 1g
Program
: Auto switch-off
3. The cover of the instrument is opened and the pan is cleared.
4. An empty sample pan is placed in the pan handler and the pan handler is placed in the sample
chamber. The tongue of the pan handler is ensured fits exactly in the slot of the draft shield
element and the sample pan lie flat in the pan handler.
5. The TARE button is pressed to sets reading to zero.
6. 1 g of sample is placed and it is evenly distributed in the sample pan. The cover is closed,
7. The START/STOP button is pressed to start the drying process.
8. At the end of the drying process, the result display for moist % is read and the reading is
recorded in Data Sheet.
9. The cover is opened and the pan handler is carefully lifted from the chamber to remove the
sample.

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Results:
Table 1.1 : Determination of Moisture Data Using Oven Method
Sample

Biscuits

Oats

Trial

Aluminium
dish+cover (g)

1
2
3
Mean
1
2
3
Mean

52.6941
47.5931
52.7647
51.0173
52.8571
53.0676
52.8396
52.9214

Initial sample Aluminium dish

weight (g)
+ cover + dried
sample (g)
5.1086
55.9903
5.0224
52.5015
5.0032
57.6709
5.0447
55.3876
5.0201
57.8510
5.0063
57.7141
5.0040
56.6344
5.0101
57.3998l

% Moisture

35.48%
2.27%
1.94%
13.23%
0.52%
7.19 %
24.16%
10.62%

Table 1.2 : Determination of Moisture Data Using Moisture Analyzer Method

Sample
Biscuits

Oats

Trial
1
2
3
Mean
1
2
3
Mean

% Moisture
8.48
8.73
9.79
9.00
10.01
12.20
10.85
11.02

Example Calculation Using Oven Method To Determine Percentage of Moisture

(Weight of wet sample+ pan) ( Weight of dried sample+pan) x 100%
(Weight of wet sample+pan) (Weight of pan)
(52.6941+5.1086)- 55.9903 x 100% = 35.48%
(52.6941+5.1086) 52.6941

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Discussion :
Oven Drying method :
Oven drying method is widely used in determination of moisture. Water is removed due to
heating at 105 C. Loss of weight due to vaporization of water is taken as weight of moisture. In
this experiments, we have asked to determine the percentage of moisture for biscuits and oats.
For biscuits, the percentage of moisture (mean) that we obtained is 13.23%. The value
( 13.23%) can be accepted as the typical biscuits commonly as have low moisture content and
rather low value of water activity. Then, the percentage of moisture( mean) that we get for oats
is 10.62% . By comparing to biscuits, we can say that percentage of moisture is slightly higher
than oats and this shows us that the accuracy of moisture determination is affected by several
factors which are, drying temperature, relative humidity, particle size of sample, handling
method of sample, amount of sample, type of evaporation dish, variation in temperature inside
the oven. The precaution also be taken during the experiment to minimize any erros happen such
as sample should be dried in stainless steel containers, which is not decompose during heating
and the weighing process of aluminium dish should be cool for 30 minutes after dried for certain
periods in oven must be followed to avoid overestimation readings.
Moisture Determination Method :
Moisture Analyser is one of the tools that we applied to determine of moisture for biscuits
and oats. For biscuits and oats respectively, the percentage of moisture is 9.00% and 11.02%.
Unfortunately, we find that the readings for both sample is not consistent such as for 3 rdtrial for
biscuits, there is increment of readings which from 8.73% to 9.79% , it should be range 8 of
something and for 2nd trial for oats, the readings is increase suddenly from 10.01% to 12.20%.
Although, the method are very easy and it only need 15 minutes, we believed some erros may
happen which are the moisture analyzer is not to be cooled for temporarily after get the result for
first trial which affected the second reading or third reading and students not distribute the
sample evenly in moisture analyzer cause the results for moisture determination is inconsistent
and inaccurate as it disturbed some part in loss of weight of sample process.

Questions :

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1. Identify five (5) factors that you need to consider when choosing a moisture analysis method
for a specific food product.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)

Expected moisture content

Nature of other food constituents
Equipment availability
Accuracy and precision
Purpose

2. In the drying oven method, why do you allow the sample to get cooled before weighing?
It is because the balance in calibrated to work at a specific temperature, if the object being
weighed transfers heat into the balance pan it will heat things up. Metal expands and contracts
with different temperature, even a slight temperature change can cause enough change in
distance of internal components to get bad reading.
Another is the air. The heat will transfer to the air. If the balance is in a enclosures (which it
should be to remove any variations do to air current), when the temperature of the air increases
the pressure inside the closed container will increase; pushing down more on the balance pan
throwing off the reading.
3. Discuss some possible errors involves in using distillation method.
Placing the thermometer too high will lead to a low value for boiling point - be sure all the
mercury in the bulb is below the sidearm of the still head.
Inadequately clamping the apparatus can be dangerous. Over clamping can be a problem, since
it causes stress in the apparatus. Refer to the Distillation section for detail on clamping the
apparatus in place and clamping the pieces together. It is especially important to tighten the nut
which keeps the utility clamp from rotating.
Other than that, formation of emulsions between the water and the solvent which difficult to
separate and adherence of water droplets to the inside of the glasswares.

4. Does the pigment in the toluene from analysis of turmeric powder represent moisture?
Explain.
No. because the pigment in the toluene is oil which is lipid.

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5. What are the advantages and disadvantges tat you observed from the methods conducted in
this practical.
The advantages that I observed from the experiments are the method are suitable to be
applied to food that has low moisture content. Futhermore, methods are easy to setup and
operate. The method also officially aproved for many applications.
Otherwise, there are still disadvantages such as the destructive effect of method applied. The
time taken for the results to be collected for oven drying method is too long. Some method are
not applicable to some types of food

Conclusion:
The percentage of moisture content in oats and biscuits have been successfully determined using
drying oven method and moisture analyser.
References
1.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moisture_analysis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_content.

&

2. Food Analaysis Laboratory Manual, Diploma for Food Technology provided by

Aishah Bujang.
3. Nielsen, S.S. (2010). Food Analysis 4th Edition. Springer Science & Business Media

Publication.