Beeswax is identified by which test?

• A. Serger test
• B. Halphen test
• C. Baudoin test
• D. Saponification cloud test

Answer: (D)

Beeswax is largely made of long-chain wax esters, so a test that reveals ester content is most informative. In the saponification cloud test, the sample is treated with hot alcoholic alkali (like potassium hydroxide). The esters in beeswax hydrolyze, forming soaps from the fatty acids and leaving behind long-chain alcohols. The soap formed is not fully soluble in the mixture, so it creates a milky, cloudy suspension. That distinctive cloudiness is characteristic of beeswax and helps distinguish it from substances that don’t saponify in the same way or from those that form a clear solution. The other tests don’t reliably produce that telltale turbidity for beeswax, so the saponification cloud test is the best identifier.