Can I use pH test strips to measure the pH of edible oils?

pH in simple terms, is a measure of how acidic or alkaline something is. It is measured on a logarithmic scale of 0-14, where 0-6 is considered acid, 7 is neutral and 8-14 is alkaline. Using test strips and papers is the simplest way to quickly measure pH. Although basic, they are ideal for many applications and are also suitable to use as an indication prior to more accurate pH testing (i.e using an electrode and meter).  Typically, pH strips are designed for measuring aqueous solutions. To use, simply the strip into the test solution for a few seconds and compare the colour result achieved to the chart supplied with the strip. You can read more here.

What pH papers can I use to measure edible oils?

We have been asked if pH papers are suitable for testing edible oils. Our customer needed a simple and quick method to measure the pH of the oil they were using to store tomatoes in to ensure its antibacterial properties. Although not ideal and exactly how they are designed to be used, certain papers will be suitable for this application. However we do want to highlight a few points for consideration:

• The response time for a colour change will be slow. Dip your strip or paper into the sample and leave it for a few minutes before reading off the result.
• Coloured oils will interfere with your ability to see or read the colour change.
• Use only paper strips 

We recommend the use of Lyphan strips as these are designed for testing coloured and cloudy samples. You can find our entire range of pH strips here. Contact us if you have an application that you need to help with finding the right solution.