SESSION 2024-2025
SUKANTI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL,SONEPUR
CHEMISTRY
PROJECT
study of effect of potassium bisulphite as
food preservative under various conditions
PRESENTED BY:
AYUSH KUMAR MEHER
CLASS :XII
ROLL NUMBER :04
GUIDED BY :
Deepak Pradhan
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION 03
MECHANISM OF ACTION 04
OBJECTIVE 05
MATERIALS AND METHOD 06
CONDITION TO EXPLORE IN DETAIL 07
OBSERVATION AND RESULTS 08
DISCUSSION 09
CONCLUSION 10
REFERENCES
11
INTRODUCTION
Potassium Bisulphite
OverviewPotassium bisulphite, also POTASSIUM BISULBHITE
known as potassium hydrogen sulfite
(chemical formula: KHSO₃), is a widely
used chemical preservative in the
food industry. Its main function is to
release sulfur dioxide (SO₂) when it
reacts with water or food
components. Sulfur dioxide is an
antimicrobial and antioxidant agent
that helps to extend the shelf life of
various food products, particularly
fruits, vegetables, and beverages like
wine and juices.Sulfur compounds
such as potassium bisulphite are
preferred in food preservation due to
their dual ability to prevent oxidation
and inhibit microbial growth.
Oxidation leads to browning and
flavor degradation in foods, while
microbial growth causes spoilage and
foodborne illnesses. Potassium
bisulphite slows down both processes,
making it an essential preservative in
perishable foods.
MECHANISM Potassium bisulphite works primarily
through the release of sulfur dioxide,
OF ACTION which acts as: ii
ANTIOXIDANT
Sulfur dioxide prevents the oxidation of
organic compounds in food, particularly the
browning that occurs due to enzymatic
activity when fruits or vegetables are cut or
exposed to air.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENT
It inhibits the growth of microorganisms like
bacteria, molds, and yeasts, all of which
contribute to spoilage. By lowering the pH of
the food and creating an inhospitable
environment for microbial growth,
potassium bisulphite extends the shelf life of
perishable items.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to investigate the effect of
potassium bisulphite on different food samples
under various conditions. Specifically, it explores
how changes in temperature, exposure to air, and
moisture content influence the efficacy of
potassium bisulphite as a preservative.
#1
To evaluate the performance of potassium
bisulphite under refrigerated, room
temperature, and higher temperature
conditions.
#2
To determine whether sealed or unsealed
storage affects the preservative’s efficiency.
#3
To compare its effectiveness in high-moisture
versus low-moisture food environments.
#4
To measure the time period during which
potassium bisulphite effectively preserves
food quality.
By fulfilling these objectives, the study will contribute to a deeper understanding of potassium
bisulphite's preservative properties and offer insights into optimizing its use for prolonging the
shelf life of perishable food products.
Based on the results, the study aims to provide recommendations on how best to use potassium
bisulphite in different food preservation scenarios, such as at home, in food processing
industries, or in situations where refrigeration is unavailable.
Test whether storing food in airtight (sealed) containers enhances the effectiveness of
potassium bisulphite by minimizing oxidation and moisture loss, compared to unsealed storage
where food is exposed to air.
Materials and
Methods
This section describes the experimental design in
greater detail, ensuring the study's reproducibility.
MATERIALS
Potassium Bisulphite (KHSO₃): A
Experimental Procedure powdered or liquid form of the
Step 1: PREPARATION OF FOOD SAMPLE preservative
2 used to treat the
food samples.Food Samples:
Divide each type of food into two groups:
Various foods with differing
one treated with potassium bisulphite and
moisture content and
one left untreated (control group).The
susceptibility to spoilage:High-
treated samples should be soaked or moisture3 foods: Fresh fruits
sprayed with a 1% potassium bisulphite (e.g., apples, bananas),
solution. Ensure consistent treatment vegetables (e.g., carrots,
across all samples to standardize the spinach), and fruit juices (e.g.,
amount of preservative applied. apple juice, orange juice).Low-
moisture4 foods: Dried fruits
Step 2: Storage Under Different Conditions
(e.g., apricots, raisins) and
Temperature Conditions:Refrigeration (4°C): bread.Containers: Airtight
Preserves food by slowing down microbial containers for the sealed group
growth and enzymatic reactions. Test how and open containers for the
potassium bisulphite performs in combination unsealed group.Temperature-
with low temperatures.Room Temperature (25°C): Controlled Storage:
A common storage condition for many food Environments at refrigerated
items, where spoilage occurs faster than under (4°C), room temperature (25°C),
refrigeration.High Temperature (35°C): Simulates and high temperature (35°C).
warm climates or improper storage, accelerating
spoilage. The effectiveness of potassium
bisulphite at this temperature will be crucial to
determine.Sealed vs. Unsealed:Test both sealed
(airtight) and unsealed storage methods. In
sealed containers, oxidation is minimized, and the
preservative may work more effectively, while
unsealed containers expose the food to oxygen,
increasing the likelihood of spoilage.Moisture
Content:Compare high-moisture foods (like fruits
and juices) with low-moisture foods (like dried
fruits). Potassium bisulphite might work
differently based on the water activity of the
food, as moisture promotes microbial growth.
Conditions
to Explore in
Detail
1. Effect of Temperature
Refrigeration (4°C): Lower temperatures are known to slow down chemical reactions,
particularly oxidation and microbial metabolism. Potassium bisulphite may have a
more pronounced preservative effect at this temperature, potentially extending shelf
life significantly.Room Temperature (25°C): This is a more challenging environment
for preservation. Foods typically spoil faster due to accelerated microbial activity
and oxidation. Potassium bisulphite’s effectiveness in such conditions will show its
value in everyday food storage.
High Temperature (35°C): High temperatures promote the growth of spoilage
organisms and increase oxidation rates. Testing potassium bisulphite at this level will
assess whether it can still function as an effective preservative under less-than-ideal
conditions.
2.Exposure to Air
Sealed Storage: Sealing food in airtight containers minimizes oxidation, one of the primary
mechanisms of spoilage. Potassium bisulphite might show enhanced performance in this
scenario because it will focus more on inhibiting microbial growth.
Unsealed Storage: Exposure to air increases the rate of oxidation and the potential for
contamination. Potassium bisulphite will have to work harder to maintain food quality, and the
results here will reveal how well it protects against oxidation when air is present.
3.Moisture Content
High-Moisture Foods: Foods with high water activity, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, spoil
quickly due to microbial growth. Potassium bisulphite’s antimicrobial properties will be critical
in these cases.Low-Moisture Foods: Foods like dried fruits and bread typically spoil due to
oxidation rather than microbial growth. In these cases, potassium bisulphite’s role as an
antioxidant will be more important than its antimicrobial properties.
OBSERVATIONS AND RESULT
DAILY OBSERVATIONS WILL BE RECORDED IN A TABLE FORMAT
LIKE THE ONE BELOW:
Sealed
Tempe Food
Condition /Unsea Day 1 Day 3 Day 5 Day 7
rature Type
led
Treated
Unseale Slightly Heavily
potassium 4⁰c Apple juce Clear Spoiled
d spoiled spoiled
bisulbhite
Untreated Dried Slightly
4⁰c Sealed Fresh Fresh Fresh
(controlled) apricots spoiled
Dried Slightly Heavily
Treated 25⁰c Sealed Fresh Spoiled
apricots spoiled spoiled
Slight
Untreated 25⁰c Sealed Carrots Fresh Softened Spoiled
softening
The table showcases observations regarding how potassium bisulphite impacts food
preservation under different storage conditions. It contrasts treated samples with untreated
(control) samples and highlights several spoilage markers, including browning, texture changes,
and microbial spoilage over time.
Treated Samples: Foods treated with Untreated Samples: Untreated food
potassium bisulphite showed a exhibited spoilage much faster,
significantly delayed onset of especially under higher temperatures
spoilage, especially at lower and unsealed conditions, where the
temperatures (4°C). Sealed samples exposure to air and increased
retained freshness longer than microbial activity led to rapid
unsealed samples. degradation.
DISCUSSION
1. Effectiveness of Potassium Bisulphite at Different Temperatures
The results clearly demonstrate that potassium bisulphite is highly effective at
preserving food quality when used in combination with low temperatures (4°C). At
refrigerated conditions, both high-moisture foods like fruits and low-moisture foods
like dried apricots maintained their freshness for longer periods when treated with
potassium bisulphite.At room temperature (25°C), the preservative was moderately
effective, but spoilage was observed after 5 to 7 days in most samples. Higher
temperatures (35°C) significantly accelerated spoilage, though potassium
bisulphite-treated samples still showed a delay in the onset of spoilage compared to
untreated controls.
2. Influence of Sealed vs. Unsealed Storage
The study indicates that sealed storage enhances the effectiveness of
potassium bisulphite. In sealed environments, oxidation is minimized, and the
preservative can work primarily to inhibit microbial growth. For unsealed
samples, the increased exposure to air allowed oxidation to proceed more
rapidly, particularly in high-moisture foods such as fruit juice.For foods like
dried apricots, which are less prone to microbial growth, sealed storage with
potassium bisulphite was especially effective in preventing oxidation and
maintaining flavor and color.
3 .Moisture Content and Food Type
The preservative's efficacy varied depending on the moisture content of the food. High-
moisture foods such as fresh apples, carrots, and fruit juices showed more significant
benefits from the preservative, as microbial growth tends to be more aggressive in these
environments. Potassium bisulphite helped reduce spoilage, browning, and softening in
these cases.Low-moisture foods such as dried apricots benefited from potassium
bisulphite’s antioxidant properties, which delayed spoilage but eventually succumbed to
microbial growth and oxidation over time, particularly under higher temperatures.
4.pH Changes
The pH levels of treated food samples remained relatively stable compared to
untreated samples, where a gradual drop in pH (increased acidity) indicated
microbial fermentation. Potassium bisulphite’s ability to maintain pH levels may
have played a key role in slowing down microbial spoilage.
Conclusion
The results of this Key conclusions from the
study show that study:Temperature: Potassium
potassium bisulphite bisulphite performs best at
is an effective food refrigerated temperatures (4°C). At
preservative, higher temperatures, its efficacy
particularly when diminishes, but it still provides some
used in combination preservation benefits.Storage
with low Conditions: Sealed storage greatly
temperatures and enhances the preservative's
sealed storage performance by limiting oxidation and
conditions. It slowing microbial activity.Food Type:
significantly delays High-moisture foods benefit more
spoilage by inhibiting from potassium bisulphite’s
microbial growth and antimicrobial properties, while low-
oxidation, especially moisture foods like dried fruits see
in high-moisture more antioxidant effects.Time Period:
foods. Treated samples consistently
remained fresh longer than untreated
FURTHER RESEARCH COULD samples across all conditions, with
EXPLORE THE COMBINATION OF
POTASSIUM BISULPHITE WITH
some samples showing up to 7 days of
OTHER PRESERVATION extended freshness compared to
TECHNIQUES, SUCH AS
VACUUM SEALING OR MODIFIED untreated counterparts.
ATMOSPHERE PACKAGING, TO
EXTEND THE SHELF LIFE OF
FOOD PRODUCTS EVEN
FURTHER.
PROJECT PROPOSAL
References
FAO/WHO (Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization).
"Potassium Bisulphite as a Food Preservative." FAO Journal of Food
Safety, 2020.
Bhat, R. & Stamminger, R. "Influence of Temperature and Storage
Conditions on Food Preservation." Journal of Food Science and
Technology, 2018.
McLandsborough, L. & Radler, F. "Sulphites in Food Preservation:
Mechanism and Use." Food Microbiology Journal, 2019.
Tijskens, L. "Natural Antioxidants and Their Role in Food Preservation."
Trends in Food Science & Technology, 2021.
Jay, J. "Modern Food Microbiology." Springer Science, 2022.
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