OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the experiment is to compare the rate of fermentation
of the given samples of Wheat Flour, Gram Flour, Rice Flour,
Potatoes, Carrot Juice and Orange Juice
I became interested in this idea when I saw some experiments on
fermentation and wanted to find out some scientific facts about
fermentation. The primary benefit of fermentation is the conversion
of sugars and other carbohydrates e.g. converting juice into wine,
grains into beer, carbohydrates into carbon dioxide to leaven bread,
and sugars in vegetables into preservative organic acids
INTRODUCTION
Fermentation typically is the conversion of carbohydrates to alcohols
and carbon dioxide or organic acids using yeasts, bacteria, or a
combination thereof, under anaerobic conditions. A more restricted
definition of fermentation is the chemical conversion of sugars into
ethanol. The science of fermentation is known as zymology.
Fermentation usually implies that the action of microorganisms is
desirable, and the process is used to produce alcoholic beverages
such as wine, beer, and cider. Fermentation is also employed in
preservation techniques to create lactic acid in sour foods such as
sauerkraut, dry sausages, kimchi and yoghurt, or vinegar for use in
pickling foods.
USES
Food fermentation has been said to serve five main purposes:
• Enrichment of the diet through development of a diversity of flavours, aromas, and
textures in food substrates.
• Preservation of substantial amounts of food through lactic acid, alcohol, acetic acid
and alkaline fermentations.
• Biological enrichment of food substrates with protein, essential amino acids, essential
fatty acids, and vitamins.
• Elimination of anti-nutrients.
• A decrease in cooking times and fuel requirements
EXPERIMENT-1
AIM-
To compare the rate of fermentation of given sample of wheat flour, gram flour, rice flour
and potato using yeast
MATERIAL REQUIRED:
• Conical flask
• Test tube
• Funnel
• Filter paper
• Water bath
• 1% Iodine solution
• Yeast
• Wheat flour
• Gram flour
• Rice flour
• Potatoes
• Aqueous NaCl solution
THEORY
"Wheat flour, gram flour, rice flour, and potatoes contain starch as their major constituent.
Starch is initially broken down into simpler sugars like maltose by enzymes like amylase.
This process is often referred to as saccharification. Maltose can then be further fermented by
yeast into ethanol and carbon dioxide.
To monitor the progress of fermentation, the iodine test can be used. Starch gives a blue-
black colour with iodine solution, while the products of starch breakdown, such as maltose
and glucose, do not. As fermentation proceeds and starch is broken down, the reaction
mixture will gradually lose its blue-black colour.
To obtain the enzyme diastase, barley seeds are germinated under specific conditions. The
germinated seeds, or malt, are then crushed and extracted to produce malt extract, which
contains enzymes like amylase."
PROCEDURE
1. Take 5 gm 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 cooling, the filtrate obtained is wheat flour extract.
4. To the wheat flour extract taken in a conical flask.
5. Add 5 ml of 1% aq. NaCl solution.
6. Keep this flask in a water bath maintained at a temperature of 50–60-degree Celsius.
Add 2 ml of malt extract.
7. After 2 minutes take 2 drops of the reaction mixture and add to diluted iodine
solution.
8. Repeat step 6 after every 2 minutes. When no bluish colour is produced the
fermentation is complete.
9. Record the total time taken for completion of fermentation.
10. Repeat the experiment with gram flour extract, rice flour extract, potato extract and
record the observations.
OBSERVATION
Result:
Rice flour takes maximum time for fermentation and wheat flour takes the minimum time for
fermentation.
EXPERIMENT-2
AIM
To compare the rates of fermentation of the following fruit or vegetable juices:
• Orange juice
• Carrot juice
MATERIAL REQUIRED:
• Conical flasks (250ml)
• Test tubes and water bath
• Orange juice
• Carrot juice
• Fehling solution A
• Fehling solution B
• Solution of Pasteur salts and distilled water
PROCEDURE
1. Take 5 ml of orange juice in a clean 250 ml conical flask and dilute it with 50 ml of
distilled water.
2. Add 2.0 g of Baker's yeast and 5 ml of Pasteur'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 10 minutes take 5 drops of the reaction mixture from the flask and add to a test
tube containing 2 ml of Fehling reagent.
5. Place the test tube in boiling water bath for about 2 min and note the colour of the
solution or precipitate.
6. Repeat the step 4 after every 10 min. When the reaction mixture stops giving red
colour or precipitate with Fehling reagent, the completion of fermentation is
indicated.
7. Note the time taken for completion of fermentation.
8. Repeat the above experiment by taking 5 ml of carrot juice.
OBSERVATION
• Volume of fruit juice taken = 5 ml
• Volume of distilled water added = 50 ml
• Weight of Baker’s yeast added = 2 g
• Volume of solution of Pasteur's salts = 5 ml
RESULT
The rate of fermentation of orange juice is more than the rate of fermentation of carrot juice.
PRECAUTIONS
1. Ensure all glassware and apparatus are clean and sterilized to avoid
contamination.
2. Accurately measure all reagents, yeast, and solutions to maintain
consistency.
3. Maintain the water bath temperature strictly within the specified range
(50–60°C for Experiment 1, 35–40°C for Experiment 2).
4. Use freshly prepared fruit and vegetable extracts for reliable results.
5. Add yeast and other solutions immediately after preparation to avoid
delays in fermentation.
6. Perform the iodine and Fehling tests at precise intervals for accurate
observations.
7. Filter extracts carefully to remove solids and impurities that may interfere
with fermentation.
8. Cover the flasks properly to prevent external microorganisms from
contaminating the samples.
9. Conduct the experiment in a well-ventilated area to avoid inhaling any
fumes.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
• [Link]
• [Link]
• Lab Manual for Class XII
• NCERT Chemistry Textbook for Class XII
