Practical Tutorial on Food Chemistry [MOISTURE CONTENT]

TL;DR You determine food moisture content by drying a sample at 103°C and calculating the weight loss percentage.

Required Materials and Preparation

• Clean the workplace and equipment before starting.
• Use a weighing balance, petri dishes, desiccator, hot air oven, and slicing arrangement.
• Prepare the sample by grinding, slicing, or blending based on the food type.
• Use previously cleaned and dried petri dishes or aluminum dishes.

Drying Procedure

• Weigh approximately 10 grams of the sample into the dish.
• Place the sample in a hot air oven set to 103 ± 2°C.
• Cool the dish in a desiccator after heating.
• Repeat the heating and cooling process until the weight difference is only ± 5 mg.

Calculation Method

• Subtract the final weight from the initial weight.
• Divide this difference by the initial weight.
• Multiply the result by 100 to get the moisture content percentage.