Laboratory Report Sheet-3

Laboratory Report Sheet of "Protein Determination" experiment.

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Protein Determination

Proteins are amino acid polymers. In proteins twenty different types of amino acids occur naturally. Proteins are important constituents of foods for a number of different reasons. They are a major source of energy, it contains essential amino-acids which are essential to human health, but which the body cannot synthesize. Proteins are also the major structural components of many natural foods, often determining their overall texture. Typically, proteins are used as gelling agents, emulsifiers, foaming agents and thickeners. Many food proteins are enzymes which are capable of enhancing the rate of certain biochemical reactions. Therefore food analysts are interested in knowing the total concentration, type, molecular structure and functional properties of the proteins in foods (people.umass.edu, n.d., para. 1 ).

Determination of Moisture, Total Soluble Solid and Ash Contents

Moisture of products is an important property for food scientists in food industry for several reasons. It has effects on food quality, microbial stability, and food processing operations. Microbial growth is directly related with moisture content because water is vital for microorganisms. Moisture content also is important for achieving quality standards. Moreover knowledge of moisture content of food materials indicates type of processing operations.