Avish Sharma Year 10 Science F

Student Research Project

Proposal
This is a copy of my proposal for the Student Research Project. I will also
post this on my Weebly Webpage in the near future.
Aim:
To investigate which substance can preserve sliced apples the best, in two
different conditions (i.e. placed in water or exposed to air)
Key Words/Concepts:
Food Discolouration, Enzymatic Browning & Oxidisation.
Equipment:
Apples
Knives
Zip-Loc Bags
Lemon Juice
Water
Carbonated Drinks
Alcohol
Stopwatch/Clock

List of Equipment
Salt
Citric Acid
Sugar
Vinegar
Bicarbonate Soda
Honey
Plates/Trays
Camera

Hypothesis:
My Hypothesis is going to be largely based off historical traditions of food
preservation, which have been used by humans for thousands of years.
That is why I believe, Salt will be the most effective preservative in
reducing apple discolouration, as techniques of brining have been used for
centuries. On a secondary note, I also believe lemon juice should also
work just as well salt; as it is an effective cleaning agent. As for which
condition it would fare better in, I am equally divided; though am leaning
towards a stance that embodiment in water could slow the oxidisation
process.
Variables:
Independent
Variable(s)
- Type
of
Substance used
to
preserve
apple slices.
- Type
of
Condition
in

Dependent Variable(s)
-

Amount
of
Bacterial
Growth.
Amount
of
Discolouration/
Enzymatic

Controlled Variable(s)
-

Temperature
(Room Temp.)
Type of Apple
Used
Size of Apple
Slices
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Avish Sharma Year 10 Science F

which
Apple
Slices are placed
in.

Browning.
Time Taken
discolour.
Taste (?)

to
-

Location
of
Experiment
Lighting
Type
of
Plate/Zip-Loc
Bag the Apple
Slices
are
resting.

Method (Tentative):
1. Slice Apples Evenly in to thin slices, leaving 5 for each category.
2. Use the desired preservation technique on each set of 5 apple
slices. Cover all the sets of apple slices in different substances.
3. Once finished, place each category into its desired condition,
whether it be in water or exposed in the air.
4. Start Stopwatch. This point in time will be the starting point.
However, you may choose to start timing earlier if you believe so.
Also take your first photograph of the experiment.
5. While continually observing the apple slices for browning; begin
taking photographs every 10-15 minutes. Make sure that they are
clearly labelled, as they will be helpful when analysing results.
6. Take Notes when each set of has turned brown, also recording how
discoloured it is.
7. Once the experiment has ended (depending on results; end the
experiment within 3-6 hours from starting point), begin to analyse
your data.
8. Repeat Experiment so that it has been conducted THREE TIMES in
total.
Discussion of Interest:
Personal Interest:
My Interest from this topic stems from simply buying canned/packaged
food. I have always known that canned/packaged food lasts longer than
fresh food, but I have always wondered why?. When reading the labels of
the different food items, we can see on the label, in the Ingredients
section, what preservatives; whether they be artificial or natural that
these products use. Sometimes, these preservatives represent traditional
methods of maintaining food quality, such as through the use of salt
(brining) and sugar (such as through glucose, sucrose and fructose),
where these methods have been used for centuries. However, with the
advancement of processed foods nowadays, food is being embodied in
substances that average person probably has never heard of. These new
methods, include the use of various acids, gases, sulphites, sorbates,
amongst other chemicals in order to keep food on the shelf longer.

Avish Sharma Year 10 Science F

The Idea:
Eventually, one day while thinking about an idea for my SRP, I decided to
take a little break from searching for ideas and some slices of apples. I ate
a couple of pieces, before quickly leaving the rest for later. By the time I
had gotten back, it seemed that the apples slices had lost its vibrancy and
was no longer shining white; it had begun to brown.
The Development of an Experiment:
I knew this was my own fault as my parents always tell me to eat sliced
fruit quickly, otherwise it would go bad; but I wondered why. They stored
all their fruit in the refrigerator; and I knew that was so it would last
longer; and so I didnt want to make that part of an experiment, but
instead; would leaving apples exposed to air, rather than embodied in
water; make the oxidisation process occur faster? What Mediums could be
used to efficiently preserve the slices? Would it taste different?
Linking Back to the Worldwide Community:
We can link these all back for the growing demand for fresh produce; all
over of the world; in which it imported in a variety of ways. Food
Preservation is important as it allows fresh produce to be shipped all over
the world. It also allows people to have a balanced diet; so they know that
they do not have to eat one set of foods all at once. Furthermore, food
preservation is also important as rural areas are increasingly becoming
prone to droughts and other weather conditions associated with this, such
as El Nino. This can be seen in the current drought in Eastern Africa; which
is the worst in 50 years. Conserving Food efficiently is also important as it
can take a number of days for the food to reach certain areas, such as
war-torn parts of Syria; currently besieged in a brutal civil war. Food is a
necessity to all humans; but once it goes bad; becomes infected with
bacteria etc. it can do more harm than good to us; which is why food
preservation is so important in all humanitarian deliveries.
Risk Assessment & Parental Approval:
I believe that overall, this is a very safe experiment. However,
reminded by my parents and the Assessment Task Sheet, that
precautions had to be taken. This will be done in the form of
assessment. In this section I will define a list of hazards and
associated with the preceding aspect mentioned.
-

Hazards
Bacteria on the Apple Slices
The Knife and or Cutting
Instrument
Risks
Any unwanted reaction after
tasting the apple slice (if the

I was
safety
a risk
risks

Use of Acids
Alcohol

Coming into contact with

Alcohol, may be considered a
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Avish Sharma Year 10 Science F

tasting aspect does go

ahead).
Someone getting cut by a
knife or any other sharp
instrument.

potential
risk
for
some
people.
Coming into contact with
potentially harmful bacteria.

After some negotiation with my parents; they happily agreed and gave
their full support to my idea for the project. They also agreed to watch me
while I was performing the experiment; just in case anything went wrong
or someone gets injured. We also reached a consensus that the apple
slices after they had been used would be discarded in an environmentally
friendly way.

Timeline
The below timeline is just a short indication of the tasks I should complete
within the next 3 weeks. The Full Timeline will be posted on my Weebly
Webpage in the future.
Week Commencing
(Mondays)
nd
22 February, 2016

29th February, 2016

7th March, 2016

Task(s) To Be
Completed
Gain
Approval
for Project Idea.
Create
Weebly
Website.
Refresh myself
with
the
fundamentals of
Weebly.
Gather
Equipment,
to
do the first trial
of
the
experiment;
during
the
weekend.
Research more
on the topic.
Collect
and
Analyse
Data
from
previous
trial.
Prepare to do
the second trial

Resources Needed to
Complete the Task(s)
- Electronic
Device
- Internet

Electronic
Device
Internet
MOST/ALL
EQUIPMENT from
the list above.
Notebook
Stationery
Electronic
Device
Internet
MOST/ALL
EQUIPMENT from
the list above.
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Avish Sharma Year 10 Science F

of
the
experiment
on
the
upcoming
weekend.
Identify whether
or
not
the
results, line up
with
the
information from
other sources.
Continue further
research
and
begin
website
development.

Notebook
Stationery