National

Science and
Technology
Week
Science
Investigatory
Project
Report
FOOD COLORANT FROM MONASCUS PURPUREUS IS A SPECIES OF MOLD THAT IS
USED TO PRODUCE FOOD COLOR FROM STRONG RED, YELLOW, ORANGE LOCALLY
KNOWN AS ANGKAK

INTRODUCTION

The search for naturally produced substitutes for chemical food colorants
has led to a resurgence of interest in pigments synthesized by fungi such as Monascus spp. This
fungus has been used in Asia for many centuries as a natural color and flavor ingredient in food
and beverages. The red pigments are of particular interest, because red is the most popular
food color and true natural pigments suitable for applications in food industries are difficult to
obtain. As a result of recent efforts to replace synthetic food dyes with natural colorants,
pigments produced by Monascus spp. have attracted worldwide attention. Monascus color,
categorized as a natural color, has also been widely used as a food supplement and in
traditional medicine. The major objective of this review deals with production of natural
microbial color by Monascus spp. and addresses the parameters involved in fungal
biofermentation. The fungal strains of Monascus spp. can be either fermented in solid state
fermentation (SSF) or in submerged fermentation (SmF). SSF and SmF are two commonly used
techniques during various fermentation processes. One important aspect in the development of
a biofermentation process is the ability and suitability of the Monascus strain to be employed
with a suitable medium.

Materials

Monascus
Grater
Grinder jar

Methods
1. Grate the monascus
2. Take a steel plate and spread the monascus
3.Dry it into the sun
4. Make a powder out of this, so mix in the grinder jar and grind this into a fine powder

Type of Testing

Philippines Food and Drug Administration

What Makes It Interesting

Colorants from microbial species offer considerable advantages since

they can be produced in any quantity and are not subject to the vagaries of nature . The best
known microbial colorants are those produced by the Monascus group, especially M. purpureus,
which is traditionally grown on rice in the Orient. Monascus species produce a red color, which
may be incorporated into foods. Production of natural pigments from animals, plants and
microorganisms is gaining more importance in recent years . These include anthocyanins,
betacyanins, cochineal and carmine (extract of the female cochineal insect Dactylopius
coccus), lycopene, carotenoids, annatto and saffron, turmeric, riboflavin, grapes, beets, paprika
(extract of plant), etc. Microorganisms could be a promising source for natural food colorants
but, except for the fungus Monascus in the Orient, few attempts have been made to use them.
The presence of carotenoids, anthroquinone pigments and chlorophylls has been demonstrated
in bacteria, yeasts, fungi and algae.
 AUTOMATED IRRIGATION SYSTEM AND ELECTROCULTURE POWERED BY ACER CLOUD
PROFESSOR USING ARDUINO UNO

INTODUCTION
The continuous increasing demand of food requires the rapid
improvement in food production technology. In developing countries, where the economy is
mainly based on agriculture, still they are not able to make full use of agricultural resources. One
of the reasons is due to unplanned use of water in which a significant amount of water goes to
waste. The other major problem is to fetch water from a river or underground to fill a tanker.
These problems cause wastage of human resource and time. Hence, we have to build
automation systems for the rectification of these serious problems. Agriculture is one of the fields
where water is required in remarkable quantity. Wastage of water is a major problem in
agriculture. Every time excess of water is given to the fields. There are many techniques to save
or to control wastage of water from agriculture. Plants irrigating controller is intended to signal
when a plants need water.

MATERIALS
 Arduino Uno
 GSM Module
 Transistor BC547 (2)
 Connecting wires
 16x2 LCD (optional)
 Power supply 12v 1A
 Relay 12v
 Water cooler pump
 Soil Moisture Sensor
 Resistors (1k, 10k)
 Variable Resister (10k, 100k)
 Terminal connector
 Voltage Regulator IC LM317

METHODS
Please refer the circuit diagram and build the circuit accordingly.
The Arduino Connections are given below.
ARDUINO PINS
0________N/C 1________N/C
2_________LCD-14 3_________LCD-13
4_________LCD-12 5_________LCD-11
6_________N/C 7________WATER_LEVEL_STATUS_LED
8__________N/C 9_________SPEAKER
10_________N/C 11_________LCD-6
12_________LCD-4 13_________PUMP_STATUS_LED)_AND_TO_RELAY
A0_________SOIL_MOISTURE_SENSOR
A4_________LM35_(TEMPERATURE_SENSOR)
LCD-1______GND LCD-5______GND
LCD-2______+Vcc LCD-3______LCD_BRIGHTNESS
1 Connect the Arduino to your computer.
2 Download the attached code and open it.
3 Select your COM Port and your Arduino Board from Tools Option.
4 Click Upload Botton.
The temperature id calculated using the following formula
X = ((Sensor value) * 1023.0)/ 5000
Temperature in Celsius =( X/10)
If you want to change the sensitivity of the sensor for different soil conditions alter the
values of the 3 conditions commented in the Code.

What Makes It Interesting

In This Plant Watering System, Soil Moisture Sensor checks the moisture
level in the soil and if moisture level is low then Arduino switches On a water pump to provide
water to the plant. Water pump gets automatically off when system finds enough moisture in the
soil. Whenever system switched On or off the pump, a message is sent to the user via GSM
module, updating the status of water pump and soil moisture. This system is very useful in Farms,
gardens, home etc. This system is completely automated and there is no need for any human
intervention.
INTRODUCTION

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis. It has been

estimated that more than 27 million Americans have the condition, which primarily affects
people who are 60 years of age or older.OA is called “wear-and-tear” arthritis. It typically comes
with aging and results from joints being used over time. With OA of the knee, the cartilage —
cushiony material between the bones of the knee joint — wears away, and bone begins to rub
against bone. This friction causes irritation, which can be very painful. In some cases, a grinding
noise occurs when the joint moves.Osteoarthritis most often involves the joints that bear most of
your body weight (weight-bearing joints), such as the knees or hips. In many cases, only one joint
hurts. OA can also occur in any other joint, such as the middle and lower spine or the joints in the
hands and fingers.It has been estimated by the Center for Disease Control that nearly 1 in every
2 people develop symptoms of OA of the knee by age 85. The symptoms may vary from person
to person. For most, the joint damage occurs gradually over many years, and as it does, the
pain usually increases. But it also may progress quickly. In some people, OA is relatively mild and
does not interfere much with daily life. Others may experience significant pain and disability. So
the researcher done a Total Knee Replacement, a best way and the best option when you’re
medication and treatment is no longer effective and powerful. The Total Knee Replacement is
an operation where the knee joint is being restored by the metal and the plastic implant to
reduce and take the pain away that causes people cry.

MATERIALS
Stainless Steel
Cobalt Chromium Alloys
Titanium and Titanium Alloys
Implants

PROCEDURE
WHAT MAKES IT INTERESTING?