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Murder and a Meal: An Autopsy

Written by Akhila V.

 

The victim of the murder, Mr. Humphrey, visited Luigi and Mario’s Restaurante for his last meal.

 

Upon questioning, Mr. Humphrey’s friends and family revealed that he usually dined at this establishment for the bread, olive oil, pasta, and unsweetened ice tea. These foods are known to contain macromolecules of fats and oils, simple sugars, and starch. The autopsy performed on Mr. Humphrey revealed that his stomach contents tested positive for fats and oils, starch, and simple sugars, while they tested negative for proteins. When Sudan III was used with Mr. Humphrey's stomach contents, the mixture began to form two distinguishable layers, with a bright orange layer on the top (of the fats/oils), and a milky white at the bottom.

 

This is a positive test result for fats and oils. On the other hand, a negative test result for fats and oils (one not showcased) would have been the consistent orange color throughout the mixture. So, it is confirmed that fats and oils were present in Mr. Humphrey's stomach. When Iodine was combined with Mr. Humphrey's stomach contents, the mixture changed from its yellow color to a black one. This is a positive test result for starch. Alternatively, a negative test result for starch would be a color change to yellow rather than black, and this color change did not occur.

 

Thus, there was definitely starch contained in Mr. Humphrey's last meal. When Biuret’s Reagent was put into Mr. Humphrey's stomach contents, there were no distinguishing observations; the mixture stayed its blue color, and there was no evidence of a chemical reaction. This is a negative test result for protein. A positive test result for protein would have been a color change of purple, but this did not occur. Thus, Mr. Humphrey's last mean did not contain protein.

 

Finally, when Benedict’s Solution was added with Mr. Humphrey's stomach contents, then heated in boiling water, the mixture underwent a change in color: the mixture went from blue (prior to being heated) to orange (after being heated). This is a positive test result for simple sugars. On the other hand, a negative test result for simple sugars would have been a color change of blue, but this color change did not take place. This means that simple sugars were present in Mr. Humphrey's stomach contents. Thanks to the Sudan III, Iodine, Biuret’s Reagent, ad Benedict’s Solution indicators, we were able to conclude that Mr. Humphrey's stomach contents contained fats and oils, starch, and simple sugars, while they excluded protein.

 

This autopsy report reveals that Mr. Humphrey did not eat a meal that contained protein during his final hours. At Four Guys Pizza and Sports Score, Mr. Humphrey is known to consume meat, which has a lot of protein. Thus, Mr. Humphrey must have visited Luigi and Mario’s Restaurante to enjoy his protein-less last meal.

 

 

 

Akhila V. is a 14-year-old writer from the UK. She spends a lot of her writing passions on reviewing novels for her school’s library’s literary journal. Her dream job is to become a librarian or arts teacher!