Effect Of Temperature On Vitamin C In Orange Juice Experiment
Introduction
Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that is found in many fruits, including oranges. It is important to consume foods that are high in vitamin C because the human body cannot produce it on its own. However, the amount of vitamin C in orange juice can be affected by various factors, including temperature. In this experiment, we will investigate how different temperatures affect the amount of vitamin C in orange juice.
Materials
For this experiment, we will need the following materials:
- Fresh oranges
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Juicer
- Glass beakers
- Thermometer
- Ice
- Water
Procedure
Follow these steps to conduct the experiment:
- Wash the oranges and cut them into quarters.
- Use the juicer to extract the orange juice.
- Divide the orange juice into several glass beakers.
- Place the beakers into different temperature environments, such as a freezer, refrigerator, room temperature, and a warm environment (e.g., near a heater).
- Use a thermometer to measure the temperature of each beaker and record the data.
- Wait for several hours or overnight.
- Remove the beakers from their temperature environments and use a vitamin C test kit to measure the amount of vitamin C in each beaker.
- Record the data and compare the results.
Results
The results of this experiment will vary depending on the temperature conditions and the amount of time that the orange juice was exposed to the temperature. However, in general, we can expect the following results:
- The beaker that was exposed to the warmest temperature will have the lowest amount of vitamin C.
- The beaker that was kept at room temperature will have a higher amount of vitamin C compared to the warmest beaker but lower than the beakers that were kept in colder environments.
- The beakers that were kept in colder environments will have the highest amount of vitamin C.
Discussion
The results of this experiment demonstrate that temperature can have a significant effect on the amount of vitamin C in orange juice. This is because vitamin C is a heat-sensitive nutrient and can be easily destroyed by high temperatures. Therefore, it is important to store orange juice in a cool environment to preserve its vitamin C content.
This experiment also highlights the importance of consuming fresh orange juice rather than store-bought juice. Store-bought juice is often pasteurized, which involves heating the juice to high temperatures to kill bacteria. However, this process can also destroy some of the vitamin C in the juice.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this experiment demonstrates that temperature can have a significant effect on the amount of vitamin C in orange juice. Orange juice should be stored in a cool environment to preserve its vitamin C content. It is also important to consume fresh orange juice rather than store-bought juice to ensure that you are getting the maximum amount of vitamin C.