CHEMISTRY

INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

STUDY OF EFFECT OF POTASSIUM BISULPHITE AS

FOOD PRESERVATIVE UNDER VARIOUS CONDITIONS
By Akash Pradeep, 12-M
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I wish to express my deep gratitude and sincere thanks to the
principal Ms. Bhanu Sharma for her encouragement and for
all the facilities that she provided for this project work.
I extend my heartfelt thanks to Ms. Jipsa PK, who guided me
to the successful completion of this project. I take this
opportunity to express my deep sense of gratitude for this
invaluable guidance and constant encouragement. immense
motivation, which has sustained my efforts at all stages of this
project work.
I can't forget to offer my sincere thanks to my parents and to
my classmates who helped me to carry out this project
successfully and for their valuable advice and support, from
time to time.
Akash Pradeep
12-M
 INDEX
S.No TOPIC PAGE
NO.
1 AIM 4
2 INTRODUCTION 5
3 MATERIALS 6
REQUIRED
4 THEORY 7
5 PROCEDURE 9
6 OBSERVATIONS 10
7 RESULTS 11
8 CONCLUSION 12
9 BIBLIOGRAPHY 13
AIM
The aim of the project is to study the effect of potassium bisulphites as a food preservative at
different
1. Temperatures,
2. Concentrations, and
3. Different intervals of time.
INTRODUCTION
WHAT ARE PRESERVATIVES?
Growth of microorganisms in a food material can be inhibited by adding certain chemical
substance. However, chemical substances should not be harmful to the human beings. Such
chemical substances which are added to food materials to pre-vent their spoilage is known as
chemical preservatives. In our country, two chemical preservatives which are permitted for
use are:
1. Benzoic acid (or sodium benzoate i.e. C7H6O2): 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.
2. Potassium hydrogen sulphite (or potassium bisulphite i.e. KHSO3): used for the
preservation of colourless food mate-rials 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.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
1. CONICAL FLASKS – It is a glass laboratory 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 sulphur dioxide is passed through a solution of the potassium carbonate until no
more carbon di-oxide is given off. The solution is concentrated and then allowed to
crystallize.
THEORY
FOOD PRESERVATION
How can we preserve our food?
We can preserve our food by following methods:
TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES:
1. CURING: The earliest form of curing was dehydration or drying, Smoking and
salting techniques im-prove on the drying process and add antimicrobial agents that
aid in preservation. Smoke deposits several pyrolysis products onto the food,
including the phenols, syringol, guaiacol and catechol. Salt accelerates the drying
process using osmosis and inhibits the growth of several common strains of bacteria.
More recently nitrites have been used to cure meat, contributing a characteristic pink
colour.
2. 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.
3. FREEZING: Freezing is also one of the most 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,
sulphites (sulphur dioxide, sodium bisulphite, potassium hydrogen sulphite, etc.), and
EDTA.
C. BIOPRESERVATION: Biopreservation is the use of natural or con-trolled 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 reasons 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 microorganisms 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. For the preservation of green leafy vegetables, the water should
be removed from the leaf so that microorganisms 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 methods 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
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 add 0.2 g, flask C add 0.5 g and flask D add 1.0 g of
potassium bisulphite.
3. Mix the contents in each flask and leave them undisturbed at room temperature.
4. For some days check for any growth of microorganisms after each day and record the
observations in a table.

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 g of potassium bisulphite 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.

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 life-threatening 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 sulphurous 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 oxidizes and loses some of its
antimicrobial power. Also prevents browning or discoloration of food Potassium bisulphite is
more stable than potassium sulphite. In humid conditions, however, the dry salt may clump.
OBSERVATIONS
EFFECT OF CONCENTRATION OF POTASSIUM
BISULPHITE AND THE EFFECT OF TIME:
Sample Wt. of Wt. of Wt. of Observation (Days)
No. of Jam Sugar KHSO3 1 2 3 4 5
Bottle Added
A 50 g 5g 0.1 g No No No Few Few
change change change change more
change
B 50 g 10 g 0.2 g 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

EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE:
Sample Wt. of Wt. of Wt. of Observation (Days)
No. of Jam Sugar KHSO3 1 2 3 4 5
Bottle Added
A 50 g 5g 0.5 g No No No Few Some
B 50 g 5g 0.5 g No No No No Few
C 50 g 5g 0.5 g No No No No No
RESULTS
EFFECT OF CONCENTRATION OF POTASSIUM BISULPHITE AND THE
EFFECT OF TIME: As the concentration of potassium bisulphite is increased, the growth of
microorganisms appears after more days. The minimum concentration of potassium
bisulphite required for preserving jam is approximately 1%.
EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE: The growth of microorganisms occurs earliest in the flask
kept at room temperature. The preservation of jam by potassium bisulphite is maximum at
lower temperature (0-5°C).
CONCLUSIONS
This experiment shows us that KHSO3 is a viable food preservative whose increased
concentration can increase time for preservation. The fermentation of food present is directly
proportional to temperature conditions.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
 NCERT Class 12th Chemistry
 COMPREHENSIVE Practical Chemistry Class 12th
 WEBSITES for reference used in this project are given below:
o GOOGLE → https://www.google.com
o WIKIPEDIA → https://en.wikipedia.org/