Standardized Acid Titration

How much can we know by simply reading the nutrition facts on the back of any packaged foods? Certain nutrition facts are given and in most cases the most important or common, such as the amount of sodium, amount of protein, the total fat, and the amount of calories among others. But what guarantees that these nutrition facts given are correct or accurate? It is known that not everything on the nutrition labels may be true. Little do people know that not everything on the nutrition facts is accurate which are mandated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). There is a law that requires that values of specific nutrients be reported in a standardized format. This act is known as the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) (1).
Therefore, the experiment was performed to conduct quality control analysis on two commercial products to determine the amount of acid or base active in these two products and then compare the results to those of the manufacture. This was done through the preparation of standardized acid solution and standardized base solution, and through titration. The purpose of titration was to determine the concentration levels of the commercial products being used.

Methods and Materials Week One: the experiment started off by preparing 250mL of NaOH solution. About 0.5 grams of NaOH were measured and then inserted into a 250mL volumetric flask. Once the NaOH was in the flask, it was then filled up to the 250mL line using deionized water. After the water was put in the flask, the solution was then mixed well until the NaOH dissolved well in the water. The second solution that was prepared was KHP. This was done by measuring 1 gram of KHP. After that was completed, the KHP was put in a beaker and filled up using 50mL of demonized water and mixed well until the KHP dissolved well in the water. Three drops of the indicator phenolphthalein were put in the KHP solution.
For the firsts three sets of titration trials of baking soda powder was used. About 0.3 grams of baking soda powder were measured and mixed with 20mL of deionized water in a beaker. Three drops of the indicator bromothymol blue were put in the baking soda solution and mixed well. A burette and funnel were rinsed off using water and cleaned well. The burette and funnel were rinsed a second time using 5mL of the HCl solution that was prepared the previous week and disposed of in a clean beaker. The rest of the HCl solution was then put in the burette. The beaker containing the baking soda solution was placed under the burette. 1mL of the HCl solution was released at a time into the beaker with the baking soda until a change was observed. The results were recorded. The process was repeated three more times and the results were recorded. For the second sets of titration trails, fresh squeezed lemon juice was used. 5mL of lemon juice were used and three drops of the indicator phenolphthalein were put in the juice. The burette was then rinsed off with water and rinsed off a second time using NaOH and disposed of in a clean beaker. The rest of the NaOH solution was put in the burette and the beaker containing the lemon juice was placed under the burette. 1mL of the NaOH solution were released at a time into the beaker containing the lemon juice until changes were observed. The results were