BIOLOGY IMPLEMENTATION LAB

LAB #: 10

INTRODUCTION:
During the soursop season in the summer, Jill noticed that her mother would wrap unripe soursops in
newspaper and place them in the cupboard. Plan an investigation to explain her observation. The
problem of this experiment as stated above was to investigate if wrapping soursops in newspaper and
placing them in the cupboard will ripen faster than the unwrapped soursops in 2 weeks.

METHOD:
1. 4 unripe east soursops were obtained and only 2 were wrapped in newspaper.
2. The soursops wrapped in newspaper and also the other 2 mangoes were placed in the
cupboard.
3. In the next 24 hours the soursops were checked on.
4. The changes of the colour and texture of soursops were observed every other day,
5. The observations were recorded after 2 weeks.

RESULTS:
Title- TABLE SHOWING THE TIME TAKEN FOR WRAPPED AND UNWRAPPED
SOURSOPS.

Time Taken (days)

Soursops wrapped 6 days

Soursops not wrapped 9 days

After observing the Sweetsops over a period of time (2 weeks), it was evident that the one wrapped in
newspaper took 6 days to ripen fully. It had a noticeably softer texture and more black spots, which
are signs of full ripeness. In contrast, the unwrapped Sweetsop took 9 days to ripen, it had a soft
texture as well as fewer black spots.

DISCUSSION:
From the results obtained it showed that the sweetsop wrapped in newspaper paper took 6 days to
fully ripen, which was faster than the mango that was unwrapped, since the unwrapped mango took 9
days to fully ripen. The results proved that my hypothesis was correct.

LIMITATIONS:
Sources of errors:
● Temperature and Humidity Variations: Fluctuations in temperature and humidity within the
cupboard can affect the ripening process. Ensure that the storage conditions are relatively
stable throughout the experiment.
● External Contaminants: External factors like ethylene gas emitted by other fruits or the
presence of pathogens can influence the ripening process. Try to isolate the soursops from
other fruits or contaminants.
Precaution:
● The size of the soursops.
● Having more than one soursop.

Limitations:
● The fluctuation of temperature of the cupboard
● The amount of ethylene gas produced by the soursop.

REFLECTION:
Jill's investigation into whether wrapping unripe Sweetsops in newspapers and placing them in the
cupboard accelerates the ripening process can have several positive real-life implications for society,
the environment as well as myself.

On a personal level, this experiment expanded my understanding of efficient fruit ripening techniques
and nurtured a more open-minded approach to research and learning, encouraging me to embrace new
perspectives and methods in life. Environmentally, it contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions through minimising the need for long-distance transportation of ripened fruits, aligning
with eco-friendly food distribution practices.

Within society, this experiment can influence consumer behaviour by promoting sustainable practices,
like ripening fruits at home, thus diminishing the demand for over-packaged pre-ripened fruits.
Moreover, it serves as an educational tool, offering insights into the natural ripening processes of
fruits and inspiring people to explore uncomplicated, environmentally friendly methods in their own
homes.

It's worth noting that the experiment's original focus shifted from mangoes to sweetsops due to the
unavailability of mangoes after their season had ended. This flexibility highlights the experiment's
adaptability and resourcefulness. Ultimately, by addressing the question of whether sweetsops benefit
from newspaper wrapping and cupboard storage for faster ripening, this research provides a sensible,
sustainable solution for fruit preservation and ripening. Since this experiment was successful, it holds
the potential to contribute positively to society and the environment by mitigating food waste and
encouraging greener fruit ripening practices.

CONCLUSION:
Based on the experiment it can be concluded that the sweetsops wrapped in newspaper ripped faster
than the ones unwrapped.