DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL

DAGAPUR , SILIGURI
(Affiliated to C.B.S.E.)

Session :- 2012-13
Topic :
Study of effect of Potassium
bisulphite
as a food
preservative

Submitted To:
Submitted By:
Mr. B.GHOSH

12th

H.O.D. Chemistry
Science

Roll no. =
"The ladder of success doesn't care who climbs it."

Certificate
This is to certify that
s/o Mr. Amar Singh is a bonafide
student of class XIIth Science during
session 2012-2013. He has completed
his project on Study of effect of
Potassium bisulphite as a food
preservative successfully under my
guidance and supervision.

Mr. S.P. DAS

(Head of the institution)
Chemistry)

Mr. B.GHOSH

(H.O.D.

Success is not final, failure is

Acknowledgement
Acknowledgement is the most beautiful page in any
projects final pages. More than a formality, this
appears to me the best opportunity to express my
gratitude.
My project can never begin without you, dear GOD.
Rather than saying thank you to you, you know that I
feel like saying I love you, to you, always.
I must say thanks to my parents who provide me
sufficient money and help in making of this project.
, you are real foundation of the
project done by me. My project would never have been
possible without your guidance. Thank you very much.
Mr. B.GHOSH

Special thanks to my principal who gave support to

me and library which provides me helpful books related
to this project.
Next on my thanks lists are my friends, teachers,
students who really showered constructive feedbacks
and suggestions without which this project would not
have been in present form.

INDEX

Contents

Page
no.

1.

Objective

2.

Introduction

Apparatus

Materials and Chemicals

Theory & Procedure

Effect of concentration of sugar

Effect of concentration of KHSO3

Effect of Temperature

Effect of Time

10

S.
No.

Objective:
The objective of this project is to Study of effect of
Potassium bisulphite as a food preservative under
various conditions

Conditions

ConcentrationTemperature

Time

Introduction

Growth of microorganisms in a food material can

be inhibited by adding certain chemical substances.
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 benzoate)

2.Sulphur dioxide(or potassium bisulphite)
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 sodium benzoate is used
as preservative because it is soluble in water and
hence easily mixes with the food product.

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
powder. 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 this project is to study the effect of
potassium bisulphite as food preservative.
i. At different temperatures.
ii. At different concentrations and
iii. For different intervals of time.

3
Apparatus

Requirements

Conical
flasks

Beaker

Peeler

Glass

Pestle and
mortar

Glass rod

Balance

Knife

Materials and Chemicals

Requirements

Potassium
Bisulphite

Sugar

Fresh
Fruits

5
Theory
Food materials undergo natural changes due to
temperature, time and enzymatic action and become
unfit for consumption. These changes may be checked by
adding small amounts of potassium bisulphite. The
effectiveness of KHSO3 as preservative depends upon
its concentration under different conditions which may
be determined experimentally.

Procedure:
1.

Take fresh fruits, wash them thoroughly with water

and peel off their outer cover.

2.

Grind it to a paste in the mortar with a pestle.

3.

Mix with sugar and colouring matter.

4.

The material so obtained is fruit jam. It may be

used to study the effect of concentration of sugar
and KHSO3, temperature and time.

(A) Effect of concentration of Sugar: -

1.

Take three wide mouthed reagent bottles labeled as I II

III.

2.

Put 100 gms of fruit jam in each bottle.

3.

Add 5.0 gms, 10.0 gms and 15.0 gms of sugar to bottle No.
I, II and III respectively.

4.

Add 0.5 gm of KHSO3 to each bottle.

5.

Mix contents thoroughly with a stirring rod.

6.

Close the bottle and allow them to stand for one week or
10 days at room temperature.

7.

Observe the changes taking place in Jam every day.

Bottle
No.
I

II

Wt. of
jam taken
added
100 gms

100 gms

Wt. of
sugar
5.00 gms

10.00 gms

Wt. of
KHSO3
0.5gm

0.5 gm

Observations (Days)
1

NO

NO

NO

Few

Change

Change

Change

Change

Few
More
Change

NO

NO

Few

Some

Few

Change

Change

Change

Change

more

Change

III

100 gms

15.00 gms

0.5 gm

NO

Few

Few

Some

More

Change

Change

Change

Change

Change

RECORD:

Result: The increase in concentration of sugar

causes fast decaying

(B) Effect of concentration of KHSO3 :

1.

Take bottles labeled as I, II, III.

2.

Put 100 gm of Jam in each bottle.

3.

Add 5.0 gm of sugar to each bottle.

4.

Add 1.0 gm, 2.0 gm and 3.0 gm of KHSO3 to bottle No. I,

II and III respectively.

5.

Mix the contents thoroughly with a glass rod.

6.

Keep all the bottles at room temperature for about 10

days and observe the changes everyday.

RECORD:
Bottle
No.

Wt. of
jam taken
added

Wt. of
sugar

Wt. of
KHSO3

Observations (Days)
1

100 gms

5.00 gms

1.0gm

no

no

no

few

some

II

100 gms

5.00 gms

1.0 gm

no

no

no

no

few

III

100 gms

5.00 gms

1.0 gm

no

no

no

no

no

Result: The increase in concentration of KHSO3

increase more time of preservation

(C) Effect of temperature:

1.

Take 100 gm of Jam in three bottles lebelled as I, II and

III.

2.

Add 10.0 gm of sugar and 1.0 gm of KHSO3 to each bottle.

3.

Mix the contents thoroughly with a stirring rod.

4.

Keep bottle No. I in the refrigerator at 0C, bottle No. II

at room temperature (25C) and bottle No. III in a
thermostat at 50C. Observe the changes taking place in
the jam for 10 days.

RECORD:

Bottle
No.

Wt. of
jam taken
added

Wt. of
sugar

Wt. of
KHSO3

Observations (Days)
1

100 gms

5.00 gms

2.0gm

no

no

no

no

no

II

100 gms

10.00 gms

2.0 gm

no

no

no

no

Few

no

no

Few

Some

Some
more

III

100 gms

15.00 gms

2.0 gm

Ferme
-nted

Ferme
-nted

Result: The increase in Temperature causes

fast fermentation of jam

(D) Effect of time:

1.

Take three bottles and label them as I, II and III.

Fermented

Fermented

2.

To each bottle add 25 g of Jam and 1 g of potassium

bisulphite.

3.

Keep bottle I for 7 days, bottle II for 14 days and bottle

III for 21 days at room temperature.

4.

Note the changes taking place in each bottle and record

the observations.

RECORD:
Observations(Days)
Bottle No.

14

21

No

******

******

II

No

Taste
changes

******

III

No

No

Unpleasant smell
developes

Result: With increase of days, the quality of the

jam deteriorates.

1
0