Moisture Content Report

DATE: 21th June 2023
Class: 3B2
Course: Practical Biochemistry
Experiment Two (2)
Group members Index number

Moses Chukwuoke 01205433D (introduction and abstract)
Joshua Salv Odemey 01200788D (experimental procedures and errors)
Mary Duako Yeboah 01202830D (materials)
Erica Wiredu Toku 01200942D (calculations and results conclusions)
Habiba Tajudeen 01205427D (observations)
DETERMINATION OF MOISTURE CONTENT IN FOOD SAMPL.
ABSTRACT:
The determination of moisture content in food is an important analytical technique that is used
to assess the quality, safety, and shelf life of food products. Moisture content is a critical
parameter that affects the texture, flavor, and nutritional value of foods, and it also influences
the growth of microorganisms and the potential for spoilage. This abstract provides an
overview of the methods used to determine moisture content in food, including the oven
drying method, the Karl Fischer titration method, and the near-infrared spectroscopy method.
Accurate determination of moisture content is essential for ensuring food quality and safety,
and it is a key aspect of food quality control and regulatory compliance. Food deterioration is
largely caused by moisture-related microbial growth in poor nations. Food that has been
dehydrated or dried has less moisture to promote microbial growth, which solves the issue.
Consequently, a significant element affecting the quality of storage is the moisture content of
food components.
INTRODUCTION:
According Meybeck (2011), post-harvest losses of fresh food in underdeveloped nations could
reach above 30%. Quantitative, qualitative, and economic losses are consequently caused by
post-harvest losses. Furthermore, according to Gustavson et al. (2011), the reported food waste
accounts for 6–10% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. The main cause of these
post-harvest losses is moisture-related microbial growth, which can render food unsafe for
eating, resulting in disease or death. The pace of microbial development is influenced by a
number of variables, including pH, temperature, and water activity. Water activity is a
mathematical relationship between the ratio of the vapour pressure of water and the amount
of water that is available for biological reactions. in a food to pure water's vapour pressure
(Gov. of Manitoba, 2017). According to Prior (1979), it is thought to be the most important
element for microbial proliferation. A food product's moisture, also known as its water content,
is the total amount of water it contains. It is typically represented as a percentage of weight on
a wet basis. Although the moisture sorption isotherm at a specific temperature and humidity
can relate water activity to moisture content, this relationship is complicated and unique to the
food product. Depending on the type of food, the moisture content and water activity must be
kept below 10% and 0.60-0.65, respectively, to prevent microbial growth. Fresh foods with a lot
of moisture frequently have a water activity close to 0.99 and are particularly prone to
microbial growth (Jay, Loessner
, & Golden, 2005).
AIM:
To determine moisture content in food sample.
OBJECTIVES:
To perform moisture content determination in food products by hot air oven method
To calculate for moisture content percentage in the given food sample
MATERIALS:
crucible, analytical balance, hot air oven, desiccators and spatula, plantain.
PROCEDURES:
Empty crucible was weighed W1.
About 5g of the wet plantain was weighed and transferred into the crucible, and weighed again,
W2. And was placed into pre-heated oven at 110°C for 2 hours.
A pair of tongs was used to transfer the crucible containing the dried sample to the desiccator
and was cooled for 20 minutes.
The crucible together with the dried sample was weighed W3.
The above experiment is duplicated with different mass from 5-10g.
Where
W1 = weight of empty crucible
W2 =weight of crucible with sample before drying
W3 = weight of crucible with sample after drying
Calculation and results

For sample 1
Figure 1
Weight (g)
weight of empty crucible, W1 33.80
weight of crucible with sample before 42.48
drying ,W2
weight of crucible with sample after drying, 39.89
W3
initial mass−dry mass

Moisture content = × 100%
initial mass
But weight of wet sample = W2-W1
= 42.48g- 33.80g
= 8.68g
Weight of dried sample = W2-W3
= 42.48g-39.89g
= 2.59g
8.68−2.59
% Moisture = × 100%
8.68
= 70%
For sample 2
Figure2
Weight(g)
weight of empty crucible, W1 35.38
weight of crucible with sample before drying, 41.48
W2
weight of crucible with sample after drying, 36.48
W3
initial mass−dry mass

Moisture content = × 100%
initial mass
But weight of wet sample = W2-W1
= 41.46g- 35.80g
= 6.68g
Weight of dried sample = W2-W3
= 41.46g-36.48g
= 4.98g
6.68−4.98
% Moisture content = × 100%
6.68
= 25.449%
Table of Result
Figure 3
Food samples Mass of samples (g) Percentage Moisture content
Wet Dried
sample sample
Plantain (sample one) 8.68g 2.59g 70%
Plantain (sample two) 6.68g 4.98g 25.449%
DISCUSSION
In this experiment, plantain was used as a sample. It was dried covered in the oven at 110°C
for 2 hours, after its removed from oven and cooled it down in desiccator, it was weighed after
attaining room temperature. The weight was recorded in figure 1 on table. The results show
plantain (sample one) has moisture of 70 % while plantain (sample two) has 25.449%. In
comparing both, sample one has higher moisture than sample two. For theoretical value,
moisture content for unripe plantain is between 59.4% to 61%. And ripe one 68 %. Thus, we can
see there has been significant change between the sample value and theoretical value.
The error that may occur during this experiment is instrumental error. The weighing balance
has zero error and it may be due to personal error. Furthermore, the sample itself can cause an
error. The sample was exposed to air for a long period of time before the experiment was
perforemed. This caused the sample two have lower moisture content. To overcome this error,
make sure the entire instrument is in a good condition before experiment.
CONCLUSION:
The objective for this experiment is to determine the moisture content of selected food
sample(plantain) using drying oven method. In conclusion, from the results figure3, sample one
has higher moisture content which is 70% than sample two which is 25.449% which may be due
to weight variation or the nature of the sample experimented.
Reference
1. Bennett and Hudson, 1954A. Bennett, J.R. Hudson (1954)

Determination of moisture in cereals: Review of methods in common use
Journal of the Institute of Brewing, 60 (1) (1954), pp. 29-34
https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2050-0416.1954.tb02744.x
2. J.M. Jay, M.J. Loessner, D.A. Golden (2005)
Intrinsic and extrinsic parameters of foods that affect microbial growth:
Modern food microbiology ,71(1) (2005), pp. 39-59
3. J. Gustavsson, C. Cederberg, U. Sonesson, R. van Otterdijk, A. Meybeck (2011)

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, Rome 61(3) (2011), pp.63-71)
http://www.fao.org/docrep/014/mb060e/mb060e00.pdf

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DATE: 21th June 2023

Group members Index number

Calculation and results

initial mass−dry mass

initial mass−dry mass

Plantain (sample two) 6.68g 4.98g 25.449%

1. Bennett and Hudson, 1954A. Bennett, J.R. Hudson (1954)

3. J. Gustavsson, C. Cederberg, U. Sonesson, R. van Otterdijk, A. Meybeck (2011)

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