Student engagement should be a priority in developing new laboratory experiences. We have developed a laboratory exercise in which students analyze packaged �convenience� foods (crackers, cookies, chips, candies) to determine several characteristics about the food's fat content. In this lab, students extract the fat from a sample of the food and gravimetrically determine the amount of fat per serving. The students acquire a 1H-NMR of the recovered fat and use the data to determine the levels of saturated, unsaturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in the food. Students can then compare their results to the information provided on the food package label. This experiment engages students in the learning process by connecting with their prior knowledge and familiarity of the foods used. By performing the exercise, students learn several important concepts and techniques of organic chemistry such as extraction, filtration, structure-solubility relationships, NMR spectroscopy, and structural characteristics of fats.

Development of an instructional laboratory experience utilizing <sup>1</sup>H-NMR to determine fat characteristics from food samples

245th National Meeting (2013)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.

Development of an instructional laboratory experience utilizing 1H-NMR to determine fat characteristics from food samples

Development of an instructional laboratory experience utilizing ¹H-NMR to determine fat characteristics from food samples