St.

Joseph’s Co-Ed School

Bhopal

CHEMISTRY INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT
To Compare the Rates of
Fermentation of the Samples of
Wheat Flour, Gram Flour, Rice and
Potatoes
Submitted By: Submitted to:
Yeshonandan Lakaria Ratna Mam
Class: XIIth C
Roll no-
(TGT Chemistry Teacher)

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 CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that “Yeshonandan Lakaria” of “XIIth C”
studying in “St. Joseph’s Co-Ed School Bhopal” has successfully
completed his project work entitled

“To compare the rates of fermentation of samples of wheat

flour, gram flour, rice and potatoes”

Under the supreme guidance of “Ratna Mam” in the academic

session “2022-23.”

…………………….. …………………. ……………………..

Ratna Mam Principal (SJCS) External Signature

Instructor: Chemistry

Date:

Place: Bhopal (M.P)

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 Acknowledgement
I express my sincere thanks to the principal “Fr. Ronald” of “St.
Joseph’s Co-Ed School, Bhopal (M.P)” for his support and all
facilities provided for the preparation of the project work.

I extend my sincere thanks to my instructor “Ratna Mam” who

guided me to the successful completion of this project. I take
this opportunity to express my deep sense of gratitude for their
invaluable guidance, constant encouragement and immense
motivation which has sustained my efforts at all stages of this
project work.

Yeshonandan Lakaria

Roll number: ………………….

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 Index
 Introduction

 Aim

 Theory

 Apparatus required
 Materials required

 Procedure

 Observations

 Results

 Bibliography

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 Introduction
 The process of slow decomposition of complex organic compunds
into simpler compounds by the action of enzymes is called
Fermentation. We know the enzymes are complex organic
compunds, generally proteins. There are many examples of
fermentation processes which we come across in daily life. For
example preparation of curd at home, making bread, wine making
and brewing etc. Fermentation word has been derived from Latin
word ‘Ferver’ which means ‘ to boil’. As during fermentation there
is lot of frothing of the liquid due to evolution of carbon dioxide, it
gives the appearance as if it is boiling.

 Louis Pasteur in 1860 demonstrated that fermentation is a purely

physiological process carried out by living micro-organisms like
yeast. This view was abandoned in 1897 when Buchner
demonstrated that yeast extract could bring about aloholic
fermentation in the absence of any yeast cell. He proposed that
fermenting activity of yeast is due to active catalysts of
biochemical origin. These biomolecule catalysts are called
enzymes. Enzymes are highly specific. A given enzyme acts on a
specific compound or a closely related group of compunds.

 Sugars like glucose and sucrose when fermented in the presence of

yeast cells are converted to ethyl alcohol.

 Sucrose is first converted to glucose and fructose with an enzyme

invertase. Enzyme zymase converts glucose and fructose to
ethanol.

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 In fermentation of starch the first hydrolysed product is maltose
by the action of enzyme diastase. The enzyme then is obtained
from germinated barely seeds. Maltose is converted to glucose by
the enzyme maltase. Glucose is finally converted to ethanol by
another enzyme zymase.

 Enzyme maltase and zymase are obtained from yeast.

Aim
 To compare the rates of fermentation of the food samples of
wheat flour, gram flour, rice and potatoes.

Theory
 Wheat flour, gram flour, rice and potatoes contain starch as the
major constituent. Starch present in these food materials is first
brought into solution. In the presence of enzyme diastase starch
undergoes fermentation to give maltose.

 Starch gives blue-violet colour with iodine, whereas products of

fermentation of starch do not give any characterstic colour. When
the fermentation is complete the reaction mixture stops giving
blue-violet colour with iodine soultion. By comparing the time
required for completion of fermentation of equal amounts of
different substances containing starch, their rates of fermentation
can be compared. The enzyme diastase is obtained by germination
of moist barley seeds in dark at 15 degree celsius. When the
germination is complete, the temperature is raised to 60 degree
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 celsius to stop further growth. These seeds are crushed in water
and filtered. The filtrate contains enzyme diastase and is called
malt extract.

Apparatus required
 Conical flasks, test tubes, funnel filter paper and water bath.

Materials required
 Wheat flour, gram flour, rice flour, potatoes and 1% iodine
solution.

Procedure
1. Take 5.0 g of wheat flour in a 100 ml conical flask and add 30 ml
of distilled water.

2. Boil the contents of the flask for about 5 min.

3. Filter the above contents after cooling. The filtrate obtained is

wheat flour extract.

4. Take the wheat flour extract in a conical flask and add 5 ml of 1%

aqueous NaCl solution.

5. Keep this flask in a water bath maintained at a temperature of 50-

60 degree celsius and add 2 ml of malt extract.
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6. After 2 min take 2 drops of the reaction mixture and add diluted
iodine solution. Note the colour produced.

7. If blue color appears repeat step 6 after every 2 minutes.

8. When no bluish colour is produced the fermentaion is complete.

Record the total time taken for completion of fermentation.

9. Repeat the experiment with gram flour extract, rice flour extract,
potato extract and record the time taken to complete the
fermentation.

Observations
Time taken to complete the process of fermentation are as
follows:

1. Wheat Flour: ………

2. Gram Flour : ……….

3. Rice: …………..

4. Potatoes: ……………

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 Maximum time taken for fermentation: ……………

 Minimum time taken for fermentation: ……………

Result
 The rate of fermentation of starch in different substances
containing starch is in the order:

…………………………………………………………………………………….

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 Bibliography
Following sources have been consulted for preparing this
project:

 www.wikipedia.com

 Comprehensive Lab Manual (Class 12)

 www.Google.com

 www.slidesharenet.com

 NCERT textbook (class 12)

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