Principle
The method is based on the drying of food sample under controlled temperature until
constant weight is obtained. Moisture in this method refers to the amount of free water and
volatile substances that are lost by drying the food under controlled temperature in an air oven.
The basic principle of this technique is that water has a lower boiling point than the other major
components within foods, e.g., lipids, proteins, carbohydrates and minerals. Sometimes a related
parameter, known as the total solids, is reported as a measure of the moisture content. The total
solids content is a measure of the amount of material remaining after all the water has been
evaporated.
The method is used for the quantitative determination of moisture in all foods except
food samples high in sugar and fat (> 10%). It is expressed in g per 100 g sample.