Hydrolysis of Carbohydrates

Experiment no. 7

Theory
Polysaccharides are complex carbohydrates of high molecular weight. They are composed of
countless glucose units combined through the loss of molecules of water. They are different from
monosaccharides and disaccharides because they do not reduce Benedict’s solution and do not taste
sweet.
The amylase fractions of starch are hydrolyzed into maltose and glucose units from the non-
reducing end by cleaving the α-(1,4) linkages. The more highly-branched fraction, amylopectins, are
degraded into a mixture of glucose, maltose and a highly-branched core called a “limit dextrin”.
Amylose gives a blue color with iodine, while amylopectin gives a purple to red color. The color given
by amylose depends on the length of the chain. The longer the chain, the bluer the color. Purple is
produced by a mixture of blue and ed complexes.
The products of hydrolysis and the color it yield with iodine are given in the table below:

Carbohydrate starch amylodextrin erythrodextrin achroodextrin Glycogen/

amylopectin
Color blue purple red Colorless faint red*

*Cooling the solution in ice water will intensify the color.

Objectives
1. To differentiate the color given by polysaccharides in the iodine test.
2. To identify he hydrolysis products of polysaccharides.

Materials
Water bath iron stand
Beaker pipette
Stirring rod Benedict’s solution
Spot plate iodine solution
Graduated cylinder HCl
Iron ring 3% starch solution

Procedures
I. Hydrolysis of polysaccharides

Place 30 ml of 3% starch solution in a small beaker. Acidify by adding 20 drops of concentrated

HCl. Cover the beaker containing the mixture with a watch glass and boil gently in a water bath. As
soon as the mixture becomes translucent, get 2 drops of the starch solution and place in a spot plate.
Test the spot by adding one drop of iodine solution. Place the other drop in a test tube and test sing
Benedict’s solution. Repeat withdrawing samples of the mixture every two minutes. Continue heating
the solution until you have repeated this procedure ten times. Record your results on the table below
by rating the color using 10 as the darkest and 1 as the lightest. Indicate any changes in color.

Test reagent 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Iodine solution
Benedict’s solution
 CAGAYAN DE ORO COLLEGE - PHINMA

Biochemistry Laboratory Final Report

Name: ___________________ Rating: _____________

Course/Year/ Section: ______ Date Performed: ____________
Group no. _______________ Date Submitted: ____________

Experiment no. _____

Title: ___________________________________________________________
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Objective: _______________________________________________________
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Materials: ______________ ________________

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Test reagent 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Iodine solution
Benedict’s solution

Questions:
1. Explain why the iodine test gave such results upon prolonged heating.
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2. Why should a very dilute solution of iodine be used for this test?
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Conclusion: