MadSci Network: Chemistry
Query:

Re: is there an at home way to test carbs in a food/drink?

Date: Tue May 9 11:35:53 2017
Posted By: Elizabeth Kunkel, Faculty, Food Science and Human Nutrition, Clemson University
Area of science: Chemistry
ID: 1489632810.Ch
Message:

No, unfortunately. There are so many types of carbohydrates in foods that 
it is not possible to test for them in one simple assay.  In fact, in many 
instances, chemists measure fat, protein, water and fiber and then 
calculate carbohydrates "by difference."  That is, the difference between 
the sum of those constituents and 100 is the carbohydrate.

If you want to measure the sugar content of a drink or a juice (or the 
juice of a fruit), you can do so with a device called a refractometer. Hand 
held versions of refractometers are available and are used by many fruit 
producers to be sure they are harvesting their fruits at their peak 
sweetness.  Called "degrees Brix," it is a measure of the concentration of 
pure sucrose in solution.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brix


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