Preview
Calories, a measure of heat energy, are integral to nutritional assessment and fitness guidance, alongside energy values expressed in joules on food labels. How does heat provided by food differ from the heat released during its complete combustion?
This article uses the SUNDY bomb calorimeter SDAC1200 to test the combustion heat values of four types of puffed food: Potato chips, French fries, Shrimp crackers, and Crispy noodles.
Experimental Conditions
l Testing Instrument: Bomb Calorimeter SDAC1200
l Testing Method: ASTM D5865
l Ambient Temperature: 24.4~26.3℃
l Experimental Samples: Potato chips, French fries, Shrimp crackers, and Crispy noodles
Testing Procedure
Power on the Automatic Bomb Calorimeter SDAC1200.
l Step 1: Weigh a certain amount of the sample in the crucible, place the crucible on the oxygen bomb core, connect ignition wire, and filling 1 ml distilled water into oxygen bomb;
l Step 2: Install the oxygen bomb, set the experimental parameters, and input the sample mass, etc.;
l Step 3: Initiate the experiment; once the testing environment is ready, the instrument will automatically conduct the test;
l Step 4: After the experiment concludes, remove the oxygen bomb and clean it;
l Step 5: Repeat the test for three sets and record the experimental data.
Test Results
Prior to experimentation, all samples were crushed and pelletized to guarantee the uniformity and consistency of the test specimens, as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Sample Pre-treatment
(1)Crushed Samples (2)Display of Shrimp crackers Pellets (3)Pelletized Samples (4) Sample Loading
Each sample type—Potato chips, French fries, Shrimp crackers, and Crispy noodles—was subjected to three repeated tests. The results are summarized in the table below, showing good test repeatability with Relative Standard Deviations (RSD) all within 0.2%.
Calorific value Qb(J/g) | Potato | Shrimp crackers | Shrimp crackers | Crispy |
Test 1 | 22812 | 24440 | 20177 | 20985 |
Test 2 | 22870 | 24403 | 20105 | 20998 |
Test 3 | 22838 | 24463 | 20155 | 20925 |
Average | 22840 | 24435 | 20146 | 20969 |
Value on package | 22550 | 24190 | 19933 | 20560 |
Table 1: Summary of Combustion Heat Test Results

Figure 4: Nutritional Information on Packaging
(a) Potato Chips (b) French fries (c) Shrimp crackers (d) Crispy Noodles
Conclusion
This study utilized the Automatic Bomb Calorimeter SDAC1200 to measure the combustion heat values of four types of puffed foods. The results closely align with the energy values listed on their packaging. The discrepancies may encompass adjustments based on nutritional science for the combustion heat values of different nutrients according to human metabolism, as well as variations in energy parameters for the same nutrients from different sources.
Instrument Recommendation
The Automatic Bomb Calorimeter SDAC1200 complies with standards such as ISO 1928, ISO 9831,ISO18125,ASTM D5865, ASTM D240, ASTM D4809, ASTM E711, ASTM D5468,GB/T 213,GB/T 30727, AS 1038.5,BS EN 15400, BIS1350, etc. It offers a testing time of less than 10 minutes (quick method), with a heat capacity fluctuation of ≤0.20%. Highly automated, it can quickly and accurately measure the combustion heat values of various combustibles. For more information on technical highlights, specifications, and application cases, please feel free to contact us.