Aim

Comparative Study of the Rate of

Fermentation
Of Various Food Materials
 Objective of project

1. To compare the rates of fermentation of apple

juice , orange juice and carrot juice.

2. To compare the rates of fermentation of starch

present in the wheat flour , gram flour , rice and
potatoes.
 Introduction
Fermentation has been derived from Latin word ‘Ferver’
which means to boil. During the process of fermentation ,
froth of carbon dioxide is formed which which gives the
appearence of boiling. It is the biochemical reaction ,
which is controlled by certain enzymes.
In 1860; Louise Pasteur proposed that the fermentation is
a physiological process which is carried out by the living
organism like yeast. The concept of Louise Pasteur was
ruled out by Buchner; he demonstrated the fermentation
of carbohydrates invitro ,i.e., presence of yeast extract.
Sugars are the most common substrate of fermentation,
and typical examples of fermentation products are
ethanol, lactic acid,carbon dioxide, and hydrogen gas (H2).
However, moreexotic compounds can be produced by
fermentation, such as butyric acid and acetone.
 Experiment no.1
To compare the rates of fermentation of apple
juice , orange juice and carrot juice.
Theory-
Fruits juice and vegetable juices contain carbohydrates
like sucrose , glucose , fructose ,etc which are fermented
into the alcohol in the presence of yeast and enzyme
(intvertase and zymase).

Requirements-
Conical flasks (250 ml), test tubes and water bath, Apple
juice orange juice, carrot juice and Fehling’s solution.

Procedure-

1. Take 5.0 ml of apple juice in a clean 250 ml

conicalflask and dilute it with 50 ml of distilled water.
 2. Add 2.0 gram of Baker’s yeast and 5.0 ml of solution
ofPasteur’s salts to the above conical flask.
3. Shake well the contents of the flask and maintain the
temperature of the reaction mixture between 35-40°C.
4. After 10minutes take 5 drops of the reaction mixture
from the flask and add to a test tube containing 2 ml
ofFehling reagent. Place the test tube in the boiling
water bath for about 2 minutes and note the colour of
thesolution or precipitate.
5. Repeat the step 4 after every 10 minutes when the
reaction mixture stops giving any red colour or
precipitate.
6. Note the time taken for completion of fermentation.
7. Repeat this for orange and carrot juice.

Observation-
Time in min. Apple juice Orange juice Carrot juice
colour colour colour
10.
20.
30.
Volume of fruits and vegetable juice = 5ml
Volume of distilled water used = 50ml
Volume of Pasteur’s sol. = 5ml
Mass of yeast added = 2g.

Result-

The rate of fermentation of different juices is

observed in the following order………………………..
 Experiment no.2

To compare the rates of fermentation of starch

present in the wheat flour , gram flour , rice and
potatoes.

Theory-

The contain starch as major component . Starch is a

polysaccharide of alfa-(D) glucose. Starch gives blue
colour due to formation of idostarch complex. When
the fermentation of starch is completed in the
presence of enzyme (Diastase) and yeast , it does not
give violet colour with iodine.

Requirement-
Test tube with stand ,conical flask, funnel , filter
paper, water bath , wheat flour , gram flour , rice and
potatoes and 1% iodine solution.
Procedure-
1. Take 5 gms of wheat flour in 100 ml conical flask
and add 30 ml of distilled water.
2. Boil the contents of the flask for about 5 minutes.
3. Filter the above contents after cooloing,the
filtrate obtained is wheat flour extract.
4. To the wheat flour extract. taken in a conical
flask. Add 5 ml of 1% aq. NaCl solution.
5. Keep this flask in a water bath maintained at a
temperature of 50-60 degree celsius.Add 2 ml of
malt extract.
6. After 2 minutes take 2 drops of the reaction
mixture and add to diluted iodine solution.
7. Repeat step 6 after every 2 minutes.When no
bluish colour is produced the fermentation is
complete.
8. 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 observations

Observations-
Time in Wheat flour Rice flour Gram flour Potato extract
min. colour colour colour colour
2.
4.
6.

Result-
The rate of fermentation of starch found in different
substances lies in following order…………………….