CHEMISTRY

PROJECT
TOPIC: Study of effect of Potassium Bisulphite as a food
preservative
certificate
index
acknowledgement
 AIM
Food materials undergo natural changes due to temperature, time
and enzymatic action and become unfit for consumption. These
changes may be checked by adding small amounts of potassium
bisulphite. The effectiveness of KHSO3 as preservative depends upon
its concentration under different conditions which may be
determined experimentally

The aim of this project is to investigate the effect of a commonly

used preservative in India that potassium sulphite.
1. At different temperatures.

2. At different concentrations.

3. For different intervals of time.

 THEORY
Growth of microorganisms in a food material can be inhibited by adding
certain chemical substances. However the chemical substances should not be
harmful to the human beings.
Such chemical substances which are added to food materials to prevent
their spoilage are known as chemical preservatives.
In our country, two chemical preservatives which are permitted for use are:

1. Benzoic acid(or sodium benzoate)

2. Sulphur dioxide( or potassium bisulphite)

Benzoic acid
or its sodium salt, sodium benzoate is commonly used for the preservation of
food materials. For the preservation of fruits , fruit juices, squashes and jams
sodium benzoate is used as preservative because it is soluble in water and
hence easily mixes with the food product.

Potassium bisulphite is used for the preservation of colourless food

materials such as fruit juices , squashes, apples and raw mango chutney. This
is not used for preserving coloured food materials because Sulphur dioxide
produced from this chemical is a bleaching powder. Potassium bisulphite on
reaction with acid of the juice liberates Sulphur dioxide which is very
effective in killing the harmful micro-organisms present in food and thus
prevents it from getting spoiled.

HSO3-(aq) + H+(aq) _________> H2O(l) + SO2(g)

The advantage of this method is that no harmful chemical is left in food

REQUIREMENTS:
1. Beaker
2. Conical flask
3. Peeler
4. Pester and mortar
5. Glass rod
6. Knife
7. Balance
8. Potassium bisulphite(KhSO3)
9. Sugar
10. Fresh fruits
PROCEDURE
1. Take fresh fruits, wash them thoroughly with water and peel off their
outer cover.

2. Grind it to a paste in the mortar with a pestle.

3. Mix with sugar and colouring matter.

4. The material so obtained is fruit jam. It may beused to study the

effect of concentration of sugar and KHSO3,temperature and time.

(A) Effect of concentration of Sugar: -

1. Take three wide mouthed reagent bottles labeled as I ,II , III.

2. Put 100 g of fruit jam in each bottle.
3. Add 5.0 g, 10.0 g and 15.0 g of sugar to bottle No. I, II and III
respectively.
4. Add 0.5 g of KHSO3 to each bottle.
5. Mix contents thoroughly with a stirring rod.
6. Close the bottle and allow them to stand for one weekor 10 days at
room temperature.
7. Observe the changes taking place in Jam every day.

(B) Effect of concentration of KHSO3

1. Take bottles labeled as I, II, III.
2. Put 100 gm of Jam in each bottle.
3. Add 5.0 gm of sugar to each bottle.
4. Add 1.0 gm, 2.0 gm and 3.0 gm of KHSO3 to bottle No.I, II and III
respectively.
5. Mix the contents thoroughly with a glass rod.
6. Keep all the bottles at room temperature for about 10days and observe
the changes everyday.

(C) Effect of temperature

1. Take 100 gm of Jam in three bottles lebelled as I, II and III.

2. Add 10.0 gm of sugar and 1.0 gm of KHSO3 to each bottle.
3. Mix the contents thoroughly with a stirring rod.
4. Keep bottle No. I in the refrigerator at 0˚C, bottle
No. II at room temperature (25˚C) and bottle No. III in a thermostat at
50˚C. Observe the changes taking
place in the jam for 10 days

(D) Effect of time:

1. Take three bottles and label them as I, II and III.

2. To each bottle add 25 g of Jam and 1 g of potassiumbisulphite.3.
3. Keep bottle I for 7 days, bottle II for 14 days andbottle III for 21 days at
room temperature.4.
4. Note the changes taking place in each bottle andrecord the
observations.
OBSERVATIONS
1. Effect of concentration of sugar
Weight Weight Weight OBSERVATION
Bottle of of of (No of days)
No Jam Sugar KHSO3
taken taken 1 day 2 days 3 days 4 days 5 days
1. 100 g 5g 0.5 g No change No No Few Few
change change change more
change
2. 100 g 10 g 0.5 g No change No Few Few Some
change change some more
change change
3. 100 g 15 g 0.5 g No change Few Few some More
change change change change

2.Effect of Concentrartion of KHSO3

Bottle Weight Weight Weight OBSERVATION
no of jam of of
added sugar KHSO3 1 DAY 2 3 4 5 DAYS
DAYS DAYS DAYS
1. 100 g 5g 1g No change No No Few Some
change change change change
2. 100 g 5g 2g No change No No No Few
change change change change
3. 100 g 5g 3g No change No No No No change
change change change
3.Effect of temperature

Bottle Weight Weight Weight OBSERVATION

no of jam of Of
added sugar KHSO3 1 DAY 2 days 3 days 4 days 5 days
1 100 g 5 g 2g No change No No No No
change change change change
2 100 g 10 g 2g No change No No Few Some
change change fermented fermented
3 100 g 15 g 2g No change No Few Some Some
change fermented fermented more
fermented

4.Effect of Time
Bottle no Observation

1 WEEK 2 WEEK
3 WEEK
1. No ****** ******
2. No Taste changes ******
3. No No Unpleasant smell
develops
Result: following inferences have been made

1. The increase in concentration of sugar causes fast decaying

2. The increase in concentration of KHSO3,Increase more time of
preservation
3. The increase in Temperature causes fast fermentation of jam
4. With increase of days, the quality of the jam deteriorates.
Bilography