KABIR NAGAR VARANSI

Investigatory chemistry Project

Topic
Comparative study of the rate of fermentation of-
Wheat flour, Gram flour, Potato juice and Carrot juice.

Name - Nishant Pal

Class - XII biology

Submitted by: Submitted to:

Nishant Pal Vishnu D. Tripathi &
External Examiner
 CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that ‘Nishant Pal’ of Class 12th
Biology Division A, has satisfactorily completed
the course experiments in practical ‘Investigatory
Chemistry Project’ in the academic year of
2022-2023 in the institution of ‘Little Flower
House, Kabir Nagar, Varanasi’.

…………………….. ……………………….. .……………………

Teacher Examiner Principal

Date: ………………………..
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to earnestly acknowledge the sincere efforts and
valuable time given by my chemistry teacher Vishnu D.
Tripathi sir. His valuable guidance and feedback have helped
me in completing this project.

Also, I would like to mention the support system and

consideration of my parents who have always been there in
my life.

Without them, I could never had completed this task.

With regards,
Thanks a lot.
 INDEX
Aim
Introduction
Main Uses of Fermentation
Risks of Consuming Fermented Foods
Theory
Materials Required
Procedure
Observation
Conclusion
Bibliography
 Aim
Comparative study of rate of fermentation of
following substances –

Wheat Flour Gram Flour

Potato Juice Carrot Juice

 Introduction
Fermentation is typically the conversion of carbohydrates to alcohols
and carbon dioxide or organic acids using yeast, bacteria, or a
combination thereof, under anaerobic conditions (absence of
oxygen) by the action of enzymes. Enzymes are complex organic
compounds, generally proteins. They are highly specific with regard
to their substrates. Fermentation in simple term is the chemical
conversion of sugars into ethanol. Ethanol fermentation, also
referred to as alcoholic fermentation is the biological process in
which sugars such as glucose, fructose and sucrose are converted
into cellular energy and thereby produce ethanol and carbon dioxide
as metabolic waste products. All ethanol contained in alcoholic
beverages is produced by means of fermentation induced by yeast.
Wine is produced by fermentation of natural sugars presents in
grapes and other kind of fruit. Ethanol fermentation occurs in the
production of alcoholic beverages and ethanol fuel, and in the
leavening of bread dough. Fermentation is used in preservation of
techniques and in production of foods such as yogurt, cottage cheese
(paneer), dhokla, idli, chocolates, cheese etc. ‘Fermentation’ has
been derived from the Latin word ferver, which means ‘to boil’, as
during fermentation, there is a lot of frothing in the liquid due to
evolution of carbon dioxide. This gives it the appearance as if it is
boiling!
 Main uses of fermentation
Food fermentation has been said to serve five main purpose:-
➢ Enrichment of the diet through development of a
diversity of flavours, aromas, and textures in the food
substrates.
➢ Preservation of substantial amounts of food through
lactic acid, alcohol, acetic acid and alkaline
fermentation.
➢ Biological enrichment of food substrates with protein,
essential amino acids, essential fatty acids and vitamins.
➢ Elimination of antinutrients.
➢ A decrease in cooking times and fuel requirements.

Risks of consuming fermented

foods
Food that is improperly fermented has a notable risk of
exposing the eater to botulism. Alaska has witnessed a steady
increase of cases of botulism since 1985. Despite its small
population, it has more cases of botulism than any other
state in the United States of America. This is caused by the
traditional Eskimo practice of allowing animal products such
as whole fish, fish heads, walrus, sea lion and whale flippers,
beaver tails, etc. to ferment for an extended period of time
before being consumed. The risk is used for this purpose
instead of the old fashioned method, grass lined hole, as the
botulinum bacteria thrive in the anaerobic conditions created
by the air tight enclosure in plastic.

Theory
Fermentation is the slow decomposition of complex organic
compounds into simpler compounds by the action of
enzymes. Enzymes are biological molecules that catalyse (i.e.,
increase the rates of) chemical reactions. Fruit and vegetable
juices contain sugar such as sucrose, glucose and fructose.
The chemical equations below summarise the fermentation
of sucrose, whose chemical formula is C12H22O11. One mole of
sucrose is converted into four moles of ethanol and four
moles of carbon dioxide:
C12H22O11 + H2O + Invertase 2 C6H12O6
Glucose + Fructose

C6H12O6 + Zymase 2 C2H5OH + 2CO2

Glucose + Fructose

Sucrose is hence first converted to glucose and fructose with

the enzyme Invertase, while enzyme Zymase converts
glucose and fructose to ethyl alcohol.
Wheat flour, Gram flour, Potato juice, and Carrot juice
contains starch as the major constituent. Starch present in
these materials is first brought into solution in the presence
of enzymes diastase, starch undergo fermentation to give
maltose starch gives blue violet colour with iodine whereas
product of fermentation starch do not give any
characteristics colour. When the fermentation is complete
the reaction mixture stops giving blue violet colour with
iodine solution.
By comparing the time required for completion of
fermentation of equal amounts of different substances
containing starch the rates of fermentation can be compared.
The enzyme is diastase is obtained by germination of moist
barely seeds in dark at 15 degree Celsius. When the
germination is complete the temperature is raised to 60
degree Celsius to stop further growth. The seeds are crushed
into water and filtered. The filtrate contains enzyme diastase
and is called mall extract.
Materials required
➢ Conical Flask
➢ Test Tube
➢ Funnel
➢ Filter Paper
➢ Water bath
➢ 1% Iodine solution
➢ Yeast
➢ Wheat, Gram flour ➢ Potato, Carrot juice
➢ Aqueous NaCl solution
 Procedure

❖ Take 5 grams of wheat flour in 100 ml conical flask and

add 30 ml distilled water.
❖ Filter the above contents after cooling, the filtrate
contained is wheat flour extract.
❖ To the wheat flour extract. Taken in a conical flask and
add 5 ml of 1% aqueous NaCl solution.
❖ Keep this flask in a water bath maintained at a
temperature of 50-60 degree Celsius. Add 2 ml of malt
extract.
❖ After 2 minutes take 2 drops of the reaction mixtures
and add to diluted Iodine solution.
❖ Repeat the previous step after 2 minutes. When no
bluish colour is produced the fermentation is completed.
❖ Record the total time taken for completion of
fermentation.

Repeat the experiment with gram flour extract, potato

juice extract and carrot juice extract and record your
observations.

Precautions:
1. All apparatus should be clean and washed properly.
2. The flask should not be rinsed with any of the solution.
 Observation
Time required for the fermentation are as follows:-
✓ Wheat flour – 10 hours
✓ Gram flour – 12.5 hours
✓ Carrot juice – 15 hours
✓ Potato juice – 13 hours

Conclusion
Carrot juice takes maximum time for fermentation and wheat
flour takes minimum time for fermentation.
Alcohol production is an important fermentation because it
gives ethyl alcohol which is used for consumption as well as
industrial purpose.
It gives biproducts like CO2, Yeast biomass, fertilizer etc. It
gives effective utilization of agrowaste eg. Molasses, Sulphite
waste liquor etc.

Bibliography
Wikipedia – The free encyclopedia – (http://en.wikipedia.org)
Comprehensive Practical Chemistry