Lab #17 P and D SECTION A

Problem Statement for P and D :

Some storage organs such as bananas and yams when they are cut and left exposed
soon become brown. If the cut surface is covered with lime juice or any other acid it
does not turn brown .A student suggested that the browning of these storage organs is
controlled by an enzyme which cannot work in an acidic environment .Design an
investigation into the student’s suggestion.
Title: Micro-Organism
Hypothesis: Acid placed on storage organisms prevents them turning brown.
Aim: To investigate whether acid prevents yam/banana from turning brown.
Apparatus and Materials: 3 banana slices/cubes. 1 knife, Lime juice, vinegar, Measuring cup,
Beaker or petri dish.
Method:
1. Measure 2mlof each substance.
2. Use knife to cut the bananas into 5 pieces
3. Pour each solution on a different piece of banana.
4. Leave the bananas for about 3-5 minutes .
5. Observe and take notes.
Variables:
1. Responding Variable: Colour change of banana.
2. Manipulated Variable: Types of substances used.
Expected result: The Acid placed on the banana labelled A will not be brown while the other
banana labeled B will.
Explanation Of Expected Result: The yam with the lime juice on it will not turn brown while
the one without will turn brown.
Precaution, Assumption, Limitation:
1. Putting too little acid on the banana.
2. Putting too much acid on the banana.
3. Having 2 different types of bananas.
Lab #18 Implementation SECTION B
Lab: Implementation

Title: Enzymatic Browning

Aim: To investigate whether increasing the acidity of an enzymes’ environment prevents

storage organs from turning brown.

Apparatus and materials: 1 banana, 2 beakers, 3 petri dishes, lime juice (citric acid), marker,

vinegar, knife

Method:

1. Lime juice and vinegar were placed in separate beakers.

2. Each petri dish was labelled based on the substance that would be on the banana that

would be placed within them.

3. The banana was cut into 3 slices.

4. The banana was covered with lime juice, another with vinegar and the last without. A

small portion of the substance applied were also poured within each petri dish.

5. Each banana was placed in its respective petri dishes.

6. Every 2 minutes for 10 minutes changes that occured were observed

Results:

Sample A – Banana covered lime juice

Sample B – Banana covered in vinegar

Sample C – Banana exposed to air ( untreated )

Table showing observation of samples made over 10 minutes

Samples
Time
Sample A Sample B Sample C
2 minutes No change observed No change observed No change observed
4 minutes No change observed No change observed Slight browning
6 minutes No change observed No change observed Increased browning
8 minutes No change observed No change observed Completely brown
10 minutes No change observed No change observed Dark brown color

Picture of the experiment :

Discussion:

An enzyme is a substance that acts as a catalyst in living organisms, regulating the rate at

which chemical reactions proceed without itself being altered in the process.

The biological processes that occur within all living organisms are chemical reactions, and

most are regulated by enzymes. In the wrong temperature or an environment of high PH these

enzymes can become denatured. An enzyme that is considered to be denatured is no longer

active and therefore cannot function and finally Enzymic browning is an oxidation reaction

that takes place in some foods, mostly fruit and vegetables, causing the food to turn brown.

Oxidation reactions occur in food and non-food items. Enzymic browning overall is a

reaction which requires the action of enzymes and oxidation in order to occur.

Enzymic Browning will happen each time a storage organ is bruised, it can be slowed or

stop by exposing the enzymes to an acidic substance such as lime juice or vinegar the

browning will slowly go down or stop .This is because these enzymes are denatured in an

environment of lower ph level. PH of lime juice (2.8 on the PH scale) and PH of vinegar (2.5

on the PH scale) is less than the storage organ enzyme’s environment, which makes those

enzymes denatured and prevents them from reacting with oxygen in the air and prevents the

browning of the bananas in the experiment.

Source of error:

1. Human error: Placing both the yams and bananas slices in the same petri dish and

cutting the storage organs too big in size.

2. Precaution: Observe if the fruit has no bruises before the experiment.

3. Limitation: Environment having an effect on the bananas.

Reflection:

This experiment proved that an increase in the PH of an enzyme’s environment can

affect the enzyme’s ability to function. The information provided show that the experiment

shed a light upon Food Preservation whether the day to day cooking at homes or the cuisine

aspect of the large economic businesses such a tourism. By placing these storage organs into

an environment of a lower PH level such as vinegar or lime juice this can prevent the storage

organs of whatever food, fruit or staple the chefs of these resturants and hotels from turning

brown completely when these storage organisms are placed in these substances it means no

food is wasted, and the food preparation and presentation for the tourist that dine at theses

resturants and hotels will be absolute.

Conclusion:

The increase in the acidity of the environment or decrease in it’s PH level. It has an

effect on the activity of the enzymes within the storage organs making them turn brown.