BMS1064: Wk2 - Water Flashcards
How do you calculate density?
Density = Mass/Volume
At what temp is water most dense?
Whats unusual about water?
Around 4 degrees C.
It expands when freezing (less dense as solid).
SO water at 4C is at bottom of lake with ice floating on top.
Water has an unusually great: (what 5 things?)
- Density
- Surface tension
- Dielectric Constant
- Heat Capacity (energy to raise by 1 degree)
- Latent Heat Capacity (energy to convert liquid to gas without temp change)
Which are stronger? Hydrogen or Covalent bonds?
Covalent (Intramolecular)
How do you determine the water content of a sample?
- Weigh dry container
- Grind food, add to container and weight container again (with sample)
- Heat at specified temp for specified time
- Weigh sample again
- Reheat untul constant mass
- Calculate mass lossW
When determining water content of a sample, what could cause variations in mass loss?
Incomplete removal of ‘bound’ water molecules.
Loss of substances other than water.
What is the equation to calculate % of water in a sample on a FRESH WEIGHT basis?
% water = (Mass loss / original food mass) x 100
What is the equation to calculate % of water in a sample on a DRY WEIGHT basis?
% water = (Mass loss / food mass after drying) x 100
When answering Qs where you need to calculate things, how should you answer?
Write out equation
Identify components in Q
Put numbers into equation
Calculate answer
How can you increase the shelf-life of food in relation to water and why would you do this?
Remove water (by drying or concentrating) or Immobilise water (by freezing or adding sugar - unavailable for reactions).
Food with high water content spoil more rapidly.
What is Water Activity?
How ‘available’ water is to take place in chemical reactions.
aw is an average for all the water in the food.
More strongly bound water has lower Water Activity.
Water Activity is more important than just the water content of food.
What can strongly bound water not do?
- Does not move easily within a food.
- Does not freeze (cannot move to form ice crystals).
- Does not act as a solvent - i.e. dissolve substances.
- Is not available to take part in spoilage reactions.
- Does not escape easily into the atmosphere (low vapour pressure).
What is Vapour Pressure?
The tendency of molecules to escape from a liquid (i.e. evaporate)
What is the equation for Water Activity?
aw = p / p0
Water Activity = vapour pressure of water in equilibrium with sample / vapour pressure of pure water at the same temperature
How can you calculate Equilibrium Relative Humidity from Water Activity?
aw x 100 = Equilibrium Relative Humidity (ERH %)