SHRIDI SAI PUBLIC SCHOOL

MORADABAD

Session- 2024-2025

CHEMISTRY PROJECT ON-

“STUDY OF EFFECT OF POTASSIUM BISULPHITE AS
FOOD PRESERVATIVE UNDER VARIOUS
CONDITIONS”

Submitted To : Dr.Megha Agarwal

Made By : Manan Grewal

Class : XII-A
“Work hard not only to achieve success but to
accomplish your goal”
 Certificate
S E S S I O N : 2024-2025

IT IS HEREBY TO CERTIFY THAT, THE ORIGINAL AND GENUINE

INVESTIGATION WORK HAS BEEN CARRIED OUT TO INVESTIGATE ABOUT
THE SUBJECT MATTER AND THE RELATED DATA COLLECTION AND
INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN COMPLETED SOLELY, SATISFACTORILY BY
Manan grewal OF CLASS XII A, SHIRDI SAI PUBLIC
SCHOOL MORADABAD REGARDING HER PROJECT TITLED
“STUDY OF EFFECT OF POTASSIUM BISULPHITE AS FOOD PRESERVATIVE
UNDER VARIOUS CONDITIONS”

Name Of Teacher : Dr. Megha Agarwal

Teacher’s Signature Date

 INDEX
S. NO. CONTENTS

1) Purpose of the project

2) Introduction
3) Description of 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
bisuphite
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

expressed 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
preservatives which are permitted for use are :

1. Benzoic acid ( or sodium benzo-

ate i.e. C7H6O2 )
2. Potassium hydrogen sulphite (or
potassium bisulphite i.e.
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 on reaction with acid of
the juice liberates sulphur dioxide which is very
effective in killing the harmful micro –
organisms 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 .

DESCRIPTION OF APPARATUS
WE ARE GOING TO USE IN THIS
PROJECT ARE AS FOLLOWS :
1) CONICAL FLASKS – It is a glass labora-
tory flask of a conical profile with a narrow tubular neck
and a flat bottom , used to manipulate solutions or to carry
out titrations .

2) GLASS ROD – a glass rod is a piece of equipment

used to mix chemical and liquids for laboratory
purposes . After every use of glass rod it is
recommended that it should be cleaned to avoid
contamination . It is also used as an aid for transferring
 the liquid into the funnel . 3) KNIFE – A knife is a

tool with cutting edge or blade attached to a handle .

4) APPLE – Apple is a kind of fruit which will help us in

making jam in this experiment. 5) SUGAR – Sugar is

nothing but the sweet – tasting, soluble carbohydrates ,

which we use in our food sometimes . Simple sugars are
called monosaccharide and include glucose (also known as
dextrose) , fructose , galactose .

6) POTASSIUM BISULPHITE – It is a
chemical compound with the chemical formula KHSO3 . It is
used during the production of alcoholic beverages as a
sterilizing agent.

It is made by the reaction sulphur dioxide and the reaction

of potassium carbonate .

The sulfur dioxide is passed through a solution of the

potassium carbonate until no more carbon dioxide is given
off. The solution is concentrated and then allowed to
crystallize .
 MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR THIS
PROJECT

SUGAR
GLASS ROD

CONICAL
FLASKS
100 ML APPARATUS
REQUIRED FOR
THIS PROJECT

APPLES
POTASSIUM
KNIFE
BISULPHITE
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 inhibits the growth of several
common strains of bacteria . More recently nitrites have
been used to cure meat, contributing a characteristic pink
colour.[6]

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 farming,
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 liquid food.
In this method, milk is heated at about 70 °C (158 °F) for
15–30 seconds to kill the bacteria 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 bottles
or pouches in cold places. This method was invented by
Louis Pasteur, a French chemist, in 1862.

B. ARTIFICIAL FOOD ADDITIVES :

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
biopreservatives.

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 increasing
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.

 PROCEDURE OF
FOOD PROCESSING
 PROCEDURE
1. Take 500 g fresh apples. Wash them thoroughly
and peel off the outer layer . Remove the seeds
and crush the apples in a mixer .

2. Add about 100 g of sugar and heat the contents

slowly for about 10 minutes to prepare jam .

3. During heating keep on stirring the contents .

4. Use this jam for performing the following

experiments .

STUDY OF EFFECT OF CONCENTRATION

OF POTASSIUM BISULPHITE AND THE
EFFECT OF TIME
1. Add 50 g of jam in each of the four conical flasks
.
2. To flask A add 0.1 g , flask B 0.2 g , flask C
0.5 g and flask D 1.0 g of potassium bisulphate
.
3. Mix the contents in each flask an leave them
undisturbed at room temperature .
4. For some days check for any growth of micro –
organisms after each day and record the
observations in a table .

OBSERVATIONS :
 Wt. Wt.
Wt. Observation (Days)
Sample of
of
No. of of KHSO3 1 2 3 4 5
Jam
Bottle Sugar
Added

A) 50 g 5 g 0.1 g No No No Few
Few
change change change change
more
change

B) 50 g 10 g 0.2g No No Some Some

Few
change change change change
more
change

C) 50 g 15 g 0.5 g
No Few Some Some More
change change change change change

RESULT : As the concentration of potassium

bisulphite is increased , the growth of micro – organisms
appears after more days .The minimum concentration of
potassium bisulphate required for preserving jam is
approximately 1 % .
STUDY OF EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE
1) Take three conical flasks and label them as A, B
and C . Add 50 g of jam in each of the three flasks
.
2) Add 0.5 of potassium bisulphate to each of the
three conical flasks .
3) Keep flask A in a refrigerator , flask B at room
temperature and flask C in an oven maintained at a
temperature of 60 ◦ c , leave them undisturbed for
few days .
4) Check for any growth of micro - organisms after
each day and record the observations .

OBSERVATIONS :
Wt. Wt. Wt.
Observation (Days)
Sample of of
of
No. of Sugar KHSO3 1 2 3 4 5
Jam
Bottle
Added

A) 50 g 5 g 0.5 g No No No Few Some

B) 50 g 5 g 0.5 g No No No No Few

C) 50 g 5 g 0.5 g No No No No No

RESULT : The growth of micro – organisms occurs

earliest in the flask kpt at room temperature . The

preservation of jam by potassium bisulphate is maximum

at lower temperature (0-5◦ C).

CONCLUTIONS OF THIS PROJECT :
This experiment shows us that KHSO3 is the
viable food preservative whose increased
concentration can increase time for
preservation .The fermentation of food
present is directly proportional to
temperature conditions .
SAFETY MEASURES WHILE USING
KHSO3 AS FOOD PRESERVATIVE :
People with sulphite sensitivity might react poorly to
potassium bisulphite. A sulphite sensitivity usually causes
asthma symptoms such as wheezing or difficulty breathing.
Some people may also experience anaphylaxis, which is a
lifethreatening allergic reaction. If you have a sensitivity
to sulphites, you should avoid any food that contains
potassium bisulphite .

How It Works ?
When potassium bisulphite is dissolved in water, it forms a
sulfurous acid. The acid lowers the pH of the food, which
helps inhibit the growth of harmful organisms, including
bacteria such as E. coli, as well as yeast and mold. The
bisulphite oxidize and lose some of its antimicrobial
power.also prevents browning or discoloration of food
Potassium bisulphite is more stable than potassium sulfite.
In humid conditions, however, the dry salt may
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

▪ NCERT class 12 th chemistry.

▪ COMPREHENSIVE practical chemistry class

12

▪ WEBSITES for reference used in this

project are given below :

GOOGLE → www.google.co.in

WIKIPEDIA→ www.livestrong.com