Fruit Preservation

Group 1-009

Team Members

Keefe Ng Wee Siong 1A410

(Leader)

Bryan Ong Liming 1A402

Andrew Lim Jian Fei 1P101

Javen Ho Zhen Yu 1P109

Contents

Introduction

Aim/Hypothesis

Materials

Variables

Methodology

Experiment

Introduction

Commonly use salt or sugar to preserve fruits. But this is not healthy.

Tea has high antibacterial properties and might even better enhance the taste of the fruit.

Some teas, like green tea, has also been tested to be able to preserve food stuff.

Why not other types of tea?

Introduction (Continued)

We are using red apple as the test subject. Why?

• Commonly found fruit

• Easily available

• Large audience

Aim & Hypothesis

To find out which type of tea can preserve the red apple for the longest period of time.

Hypothesis: Jasmine Green Tea would be able to preserve the red apple for the longest periods of time.

Materials

Tea (2 teabags each):

Rickshaw Oolong Tea

Jasmine Green Tea

Pure Peppermint Tea

Pure White Tea

Earl Grey Tea

Materials (Continued)

6 Sealed Plastic Containers

Red Apples

Metre Rule

Weighing Scale

Materials (Continued)

Measuring Cylinder

Knife

Conical Flask

Variables

Independent: Type of tea leaf

Dependent: Condition of apple after experiment

Controlled:

1) Amount of water

2) Size of apple

Variables (continued)

3) Duration of experiment

4) Conditions of environment around set-ups

5) Type of container

6) Type of apple

Methodology

Prepare the cut fruits at dimensions of 2cmx2cmx2cm

Measure its mass and length. (9g, 8cm3)

Prepare 100ml of boiling water for each container

Pour the water into the containers, with 2 apple cubes in it.

Methodology (Continued)

Allow the water to simmer for 5 minutes.

Seal it and leave it out in room temperature for a span of a week.

At the end of the week, record the readings of each set-up.

Photos

Photos (Continued)

Summary

Over the week, the following set-ups went through such changes in the first 3 days.

Type of tea leaf

Condition

Pure White Tea Slightly oxidized

Rickshaw Oolong Tea

Slightly oxidized, but more as compared to White Tea.

Control Water was stained yellow; apple is slightly more oxidized as Oolong Tea

Jasmine Green Tea

As oxidized as Oolong Tea

Pure Peppermint Tea

Well-preserved; best among all set-ups

Earl Grey Tea In similar condition to Pure White

After 1 week

Pure White Tea

The result shocked all of us.

A layer of mould have appeared on the surface on the surface of the tea.

The fruit was only slightly oxidized though.

Mass-7.2g Volume-7cm3

Rickshaw Oolong Tea

The second best preservative.

Least oxidation and least browning

Health benefits

Mass-7.3g Volume-7.3cm3

Control

Very brownish, showing high levels of oxidation

A vast difference between the apple in it and those in tea.

Tea does help.

Mass-7g Volume-6cm3

Jasmine Green Tea

Oxidized as much as Oolong.

However, it does not beat Oolong as there is still a tiny bit of mould present.

A very shocking discovery since many online articles state it as one of the best preservers.

Mass-7.1g Volume-6.0cm3

Pure Peppermint Tea

The best preserver in among the rest.

Overtook Oolong and jasmine green tea.

Had the least browning and least signs of oxidations, but not compared to Oolong

Had a fragrance.

Mass-7.5g Volume-7.3cm3

Earl Grey Tea

Similar to White Tea

A lot of browning and oxidation present

Fruit was very soft.

Mass-7.4g Volume-7cm3

Mass

Pure

Whi

te T

ea

Ricks

haw O

olon

g Te

a

Jasm

ine

Green

Tea

Pure

Pep

perm

int T

ea6.8

77.27.4

Mass (grams)

Mass (grams)

Mass

Earl Grey Tea

Control6.8

7

7.2

7.4

Mass (grams)

Mass (grams)

Volume

Pure

Whi

te

Ricks

haw O

olon

g

Jasm

ine

Green

Pure

Pep

perm

int

0

3

6

Volume (in cm3)

Volume (in cm3)

7 7.3 6 7

Volume

Earl grey Control5.5

6

6.5

7

7.5

Volume (in cm3)

Volume (in cm3)

Conclusion

Therefore, our original hypothesis was wrong and it proved that green tea is not the best preservative.

In terms of the variation of mass and volume, Pure Peppermint was the best preservative.

In terms of physical state and oxidation, Rickshaw Oolong was the best.

References

FDA ( 2009, June 18), Chapter 3: Factors that influence microbial growth.

Retrieved from

http://www.fda.gov/food/scienceresearch/researchareas/safepracticesforfoodproc

esses/ucm094145.htm

Maria Davies ( 2006, Spring), Well Preserved - How preservation techniques

affect food , Retrieved from

http://www.ion.ac.uk/content/well-preserved-how-preservation-techniques-affect

-food

http://www.waikato.ac.nz/library/study/guides/apa.shtml

Thank You