TECHNO INDIA GROUP PUBLIC SCHOOL

RAIGANJ

CENTRAL BOARD OF SECONDARY

EDUCATION
AISSCE EXAMINATION SESSION – 2023-2024
Project report on: Study of Effect of Potassium
Bisulphite as A Food Preservative

Name:- Soumyadip Debnath

Class:- XIl, A (Science)
Roll No:-
Subject:- Chemistry
Subject Code:- 043

Project Guide:- Rituparna Chakraborty

 CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Soumyadip Debnath
of class XII Science, roll no: has
successfully completed his Chemistry
Investigatory Project as prescribed by the
course during the academic year 2023-2024

_______________ _______________
Internal Examiner External Examiner

______________
Principle
 Acknowledgement
I would like to sincerely and profusely thank
my chemistry teacher Miss Rituparna
Chakraborty (PGT Chemistry) and our lab
attendant for their able guidance and support
in completing my project on the study od
effect of potassium bisulphite as a food
preservative.
I would also like to extend my gratitude to
principle Mr. Avijit Chakraborty for providing
me with all the facility that was required.

Soumyadip Debnath
XII Science
S. Contents Page
No. NO.
1) Purpose of the project
2) Introduction
3) apparatus used in this project
4) Food preservation
5) Need for food preservation
6) Principles of food preservation
7) Role of food preservation
8) Procedure of food processing
9) Procedure
10) Study of effect of concentration
of potassium bisulphite and the
effect of time

11) Study of effect of temperature

12) Conclusion
13) Safety measures while using
khso 3 as food preservative
14) Bibliography
 Purpose of the
project
The Purpose Of This Project Is To Study
The Effect Of Potassium Bisulphite As a
Food Preservative Under Various
Conditions Such As Given Below:

 CONCENTRATION: In chemistry, concentration

can be defined as the measure of the relative
proportions of two or more quantities in a mixture.
 TIME: Time is nothing but the measure of amount
of concentration during any process or activity
taking place on that particular level within the
completion of the action took place during that
process.
 TEMPERATURE: Temperature is the degree or
intensity of heat of that substance which is ex
pressed according to a comparative scale in graph
and shown by a thermometer.
 INTRODUCTION
WHAT ARE PRESERVATIVES?
Growth of micro - organisms in a food material can be
inhibited by adding certain chemical substance.
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 preservative which are permitted
for use are:

1. Benzoic acid (or sodium benzoate i.e. C7H6O2)

2. Potassium hydrogen sulphite (or potassium bisulphite

KHSO3).

 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 it is used as preservative because it
is soluble in water and hence easily mixes with the
food product. The efficacy of benzoic acid and
benzoate is thus dependent on the PH of the food.
 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 agent. Potassium bisulphite ow reaction
with acid of the juice liberates sulphur dioxide which
is very effective in killing the harmful micro-
organism 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 the food. The aim
of the project is to study the effect of
potassium bisulphite as food preservative:
1. At different temperatures,
2. At different concentrations and
3. For different intervals of time.
Material required for the project
FOOD PRESERVATION
How we can preserve our food?
We can preserve our food by following methods:
TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES:
CURING:
The earliest form of curing was dehydration or drying, .
Smoking and salting techniques improve on the drying
process and add antimicrobial agents that aid in
preservation Smoke deposits a number of pyrolysis
products onto the food, including the phenols syringol
guaiacol and cathechol .Salt accelerates the drying
process using osmosis and also inhibit the growth of
several common strains of bacteria. More recently ni-
trites have been used to cure meat, contributing a
characteristic pink colour.
COOLING:
Cooling preserves food by slowing down the growth
and reproduction of microorganisms and the action of
enzymes that causes the food to rot. Before the era of
mechanical refrigeration, cooling for food storage
occurred in the forms of root cellars and iceboxes
Today, root cellaring remains popular among people
who value various goals, including local food, heirloom
crops, traditional home cooking techniques, family
forming, frugality, self-sufficiency, organic farming, and
others
FREEZING:
Freezing is also one of the most commonly used
processes for preserving a very wide range of foods.
For example, potato waffles are stored in the freezer,
but potatoes themselves require only a cool dark place
to ensure many months storage. Cold stores provide
large-volume, long-term storage for strategic food
stocks held in case of national emergency in many
countries.

MODERN INDUSTRIAL TECHNIQUES :

A. PASTEURIZATION :
Pasteurization is a process for preservation of lig uid food. In
this method, milk is heated at about 70 °C (158 °F) for 15-30
seconds to kill the bac- teria present in it and cooling it
quickly to 10 °C (50 °F) to prevent the remaining bacteria
from growing. The milk is then stored in sterilized botHes or
pouches in cold places. This method was invented by Louis
Pasteur, a French chemist, in 1862.

B. ARTIFICIAL FOOD ADITIVES :

Preservative food additives can be antimicrobial which inhibit
the growth of bacteria or fungi. including mold or antioxidant,
such as oxygen absorbers, which inhibit the oxidation of food
constituents. Common antimicrobial preservatives include
calcium propionate, sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite, sulfites
(sulfur dioxide, sodium bisulfite, potassium hydrogen sulfite,
etc.), and EDTA.

C. BIOPRESERVATION :
Biopreservation is the use of natural or controlled micro biota
or antimicrobials as a way of preserving food and extending
its shelf life. Beneficial bacteria or the fermentation products
produced by these bacteria are used in biopreservation to
control spoilage and render pathogens inactive in food. Lactic
acid bacteria have antagonistic properties that make them
useful as bio- preservatives.

NEED FOR FOOD PRESERVATION :

Preservation of food is done during the months when food
is available at large quantity and therefore at large cost.
Reasons of food preservation are as follows:
1) One of the reason of food preservation is that to take care
of the excess produce.
2) The second reason is that they add variety in our meals.
3) Makes transportation of food cheap and easier for us to live
and survive.
 PRINCIPLES OF FOOD
PRESERVATION:
A good method of food preservation is one that slows down
or prevents altogether the action of the agents of spoilage.
Also, during the process of food preservation it shouldn't
be damaged. The principles of food preservation are as
follows:

a) Removal of micro-organisms or inactivating them:

This is done by air, water (moisture), lowering or in-
creasing temperature, increasing the concentration of salt
or sugar or acid in foods. F or the preservation of green
leafy vegetables, the water should be removed from the
leaf so that micro organisms cannot survive. This is done
by drying the green leaves till all the moisture
evaporates.

b) Inactivating enzymes: Enzymes found in foods can be

inactivated by changing their conditions such as
temperature or moisture. One of the method for
preservation of peas is that to put them in boiling water
for few minutes. It will inactivate the enzymes present in
peas.

ROLE OF FOOD PRESERVATION

1. Eliminates any potential microbiological harm to the
consumer.
2. Maintains quality of food (sensory perceptions)
3. Maintains nutritional value within the food product.

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

RECORD:

Bottle number A B C
Weight of jam taken 100 gm 100 gm 100 gm
Weight of sugar 5 gm 10 gm 15 gm
added
Weight of KHSO3 0.5 gm 0.5 gm 0.5 gm
Observation (Days)
Colour Dark orange Dark orange Dark orange
Odour Pleasant smell Pleasant smell Pleasant smell
Day1
Fungus Fungus not formed Fungus not Fungus not
formed formed
Colour Dark orange Orange Light orange
Odour Pleasant smell Pleasant smell Pleasant smell
Day 2
Fungus Fungus not formed Fungus not Fungus not
formed formed
Colour Dark orange Orange Light orange
 Odour Pleasant smell Pungent smell Pungent smell

Day 3 Fungus Fungus not formed White fungus White fungus

formed formed is
more than B
Colour Orange Light orange Light orange

Odour Pungent smell Pungent smell Pungent smell

Day 4

Fungus White fungus is White fungus has Fungus turned

formed increased greenish in
colour
Colour Dark orange Light orange Yellow colour

Odour Pungent smell Pungent smell Smells

Day 5 ethanolic
Fungus White fungus has Fungus turned Greenish
increased greenish in colour colour fungus
has increased
Colour Light orange Yellow colour Yellow colour
fades

Odour Smells ethanolic Smells ethanolic Smells

Day 6 ethanolic

Fungus Fungus turned Greenish colour Fungus turned

greenish in colour fungus has in black colour
increased
Colour Yellow colour Dark orange Yellow colour
fades
Day 7
Odour Smells ethanolic Smells ethanolic Smells
ethanolic
 Fungus Greenish colour No fungus is Spoilt
fungus has formed
increased

(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, Il and ll respectively.
5. Mix the contents thoroughly with a glass rod.
6. Keep all the bottles at room temperature for about 10
days and observe the changes everyday.

RECORD:
Bottle no. Wt. of jam Wt. of Wt. of Observations(Days)
taken sugar KHSO3 1 2 3 4 5
added
I 100 gm 5.00 gm 1.0 gm no no n few som
o e

II 100 gm 5.00 gm 2.0 gm no no n no few

o

III 100 gm 5.00 gm 3.0 gm no no n no no

o
 Result: The increase in concentration of KHSO3
increase more time of preservation.
(C) Effect of Temperature:-
1. Take 100 gm of jam in three bottles labeled 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 O'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 5 days.

RECORD:
Bottle Wt. of jam Wt. of Wt. of Observations(Days)
no. taken sugar KHSO3 1 2 3 4 5
added
I 100 gm 10.00 1.0 gm n n no no no
gm o o

II 100 gm 10.00 1.0 gm n n no no few

gm o o fermen-
ted

III 100 gm 10.00 1.0 gm n n Few some some

gm o o fermen fermente more
-ted d fermen-
ted

Result: The increase in temperature causes fast

fermentation of Jam.
 (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 1g of potassium
bisulphite.
3. Keep bottle I for 7 days, bottle II for 14 days and bottle
III for 21 days at room temperature.
4. Note the changes taking place in each bottle and record
the observations.

RECORD:
Bottle no. Observations(Days)
7 14 21
I No ******** ********

II No Taste ********
changes
III No No Unpleasant
smell
 Result: With increase of days, the quality of the jam
deteriorates.

CONCLUSION
Food containing more amount of sugar is not favourable to
keep for a long time Potassium bisulphite is a good
preservative.
Uses
There are a number of uses for potassium bisulphite as a food
preservative. The Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural
Initiatives reports this product works to prevent the growth of
mold, yeast and bacteria in foods. It is also an additive for
homemade wine. Potassium bisulphate is found in some cold
drinks and fruit juice concentrates. Sulphites are common
preservatives in smoked or processed meats and dried fruits.
In spray form, it may help prevent foods from discolouring or
browning.
AVAILABILITY
Potassium bisulphite is primarily a commercial product. You
might find this chemical compound at meat processing plants.
Manufacturers of juice drinks and concentrate will use
potassium bisulphite to increase the shelf life of their
products. The preservative is also available for home use.
 ALLERGIES
Sulphites such as potassium bisulphite can trigger an attack
for those with asthma. Potassium bisulphite may cause lung
irritation.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
The necessary information for the project is collected from
The references stated below:
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium
bisulfate/
 http://www.thetrustedtrolley.com.au
 http://www.livestrong.com/article/308673-
potassium bisulphate-as-a-food-preservative/