School of Industrial Technology

Faculty of Applied Sciences

________________________________________________________

FST 556
Laboratory Title: Determination of Ash
Date of experiment: 11/11/2019
Laboratory Group: Monday

Name : NUR IZZATI BINTI IDRIS

Student ID : 2019654024
Group : AS2463D

MARK:
PURPOSE
To determine the ash content of lipton and boh tea of dry ashing method and acid-insolube ash
method

INTRODUCTION
Ash is the inorganic residue remaining after that water and organic matter has been removed
by heating in the presence of air, which provides a measure of the total amount of minerals within a
food. Indeed minerals are not destroyed by heating, and furthermore, most of them present lower
volatility compared to other food components. According to Perring (2016), the ash constituents
include mostly potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium, but also smaller quantities of iron,
copper, manganese, and zinc as well as other elements present in lower traces.

In the dry ashing method, it is a common procedure to determine the total mineral content of
foods. While for the acid insoluble ash method is used to determine a part of the total mineral of the
food. In this method, the porcelain dish was used. It is resistant to acids and halogens but not alkaline

at high temperature and it also can withstand 1200 °C. For the dry ashing method, the principle is to
remove water and organic matter by heating the sample with the presence of the oxidizing agent,
which provides a measure of the total amount of minerals within a food. During the heating process,
water and other volatiles material are vaporized and organic substances are burned in the presence of
oxygen in the air to carbon dioxide, water and nitrogen gas (Lenz, 2017). Most of the minerals are
converted to oxides, sulfate, phosphates, chloride or silicates. Although, most minerals have low
volatility at these high temperatures, some are volatile and may be partially lost.

MATERIALS
Dry Ashing Method Acid- Insolube Ash Method
Porcelain dish Hydrochloric acid
Analytical balance Porcelain dish
Bunsen burner Watch glass
Oven Filter paper
Muffle furnace Analytical balance
Tongs Bunsen burner
METHODOLOGY
Dry Ashing Method
Each dried porcelain dish was labelled clearly by using carbon pencil on the bottom of each
porcelain dish. Five grams of homogenized food sample was weighed and placed into the porcelain
dish. The dried sample then was burned gently by using Bunsen burner until smoke is no longer
evolved when heated strongly. The dish was placed in a muffle furnace and heated at 5500C for 3
hours until whitish ash is obtained. The dish then removed, cooled in a desiccator and was weighed
after it attaining the room temperature.
Acid – Insoluble Ash Method
The ash obtained from dry ashing was boiled with 25ml dilute hydrochloric acid for 5
minutes. The insoluble matter was collected by filtering through an ashless filter paper and the
insoluble matter was washed thoroughly with hot water until it is acid-free. The filter paper then
ignited in the original dish. The dish was cooled and weighed.

DATA AND RESULTS

Table 1.1: Ash analysis using dry ashing method

Sample Weight of Weight of Weight of Weight of Weight of % ash

crucible (g) crucible + sample (g) crucible + ash (g) content
sample (g) ash (g)
Lipton 66.6936 71.7263 5.0101 66.7084 0.0148 0.3000
Boh 63.0046 73.4667 5.0333 63.2899 0.2853 5.7000

Sample Weight of Weight of g acid g acid % acid

crucible + acid insoluble insoluble soluble ash
acid insoluble ash ash / 100 g ash / 100 g
insoluble ash (g) sample total ash
(g)
Lipton 66.7046 0.0110 0.2220 74.3240 0.0800
Boh 63.0189 0.0143 0.2840 5.0120 5.4000
Table 1.2: Acid insoluble ash analysis using dry ashing metho
CALCULATION
g ash per 100g the total sample = Weight of ash/ weight of sample X 100

=0.0148 g / 5.0101 g X 100

= 0.3%

g acid insoluble ash/ 100 g of total sample 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑠ℎ
x 100
𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒
 0.011
= x 10
5.0101
= 0.22%

g acid insoluble ash/ 100 g of total ash 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑠ℎ
x 100
𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑠ℎ

0.011
= x 100
0.0148
=
74.32 %
Acid soluble ash = %Total ash - % Acid insoluble as

= 0.3 – 0.22

= 0.08%

QUESTIONS
1. How do you know when the ash is free from carbon
Based on the color of ash, if it is blackish it means the carbon is present. But if it is greyish
or whitish it is free from carbon.

2. Why is the sample needed to be heated over the Bunsen burner before heating in a muffle
furnace?

To accelerate the heating process

DISCUSSIONS
In this experiment, the ash analysis was determined. Two types of methods that have been
used which are dry ashing method and acid insoluble ash method. For dry ashing method, the total
mineral content of foods was determined while for the acid insoluble ash method is used to determine
a part of the total mineral of the food.

Based on table 1.1 showed that % ash content for Lipton 0.3000% and Boh if 5.7000%.
The ash content between those two samples is significantly different. This clearly portrayed, that
Lipton tea has a low mineral compared to Boh. In this method, the precaution step needs to be
done especially during the ignition of the sample using the Bunsen burner. The possibility of the
ash to fly away from the crucible is high so it is recommended to partially closed the crucible
 and ensure the environment is not too windy. If the ash is flying away it will affect the results
and underestimation of minerals will occur. Next method, for the acid insoluble ash in this
analysis, ashless filter paper need to be used for filtration, if normal filter paper been used which
also causes the production of ash during ignition will cause overestimation to occurs. From this
analysis, the insoluble ash basically the inorganic matter of ash which are silica, oxalates, and
carbonates. From this analysis basically, we can calculate the acid-soluble ash by using formula.
Based on table 1.2 showed that Lipton 0.0800% and 5.4000% for the Boh percent of acid soluble.
This means that Boh tea is high in mineral compared to Lipton tea.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, the % ash content of Lipton tea and Boh tea is 0.3000% and 5.7000%
while for the % acid-soluble ash for Lipton is 0.0800% and for Boh is 5.4000%.

REFERENCES

Lenz, H. (2017). Analysis of Ash and Minerals.

Perring, L. (2016). Determination of ash content of milk-based powders by Energy Dispersive.

Microchemical Journal, 162–167.