Comparing the preservative qualities of Sucrose, Cinnamomum verum, Citrus limon, sodium chloride, and ethanoic acid on Cucumis sativus and Solanum lycopersicum.
Cellular and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry- Grade:
- 10
- Teacher:
- Elyse Wexler
This study investigates the effectiveness of natural preservatives such as powdered sugar (Sucrose), cinnamon (Cinnamon verum), lemon (Citrus limon), salt (sodium chloride) and white vinegar (ethanoic acid) on cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) and tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum). We tested how many hours it would take for 9-gram slices of each vegetable to mold after being soaked for 10 minutes in a mixture composed of 40 mL of water and the respective preservative. Overall, our results show that all preservatives were more successful in slowing down mold growth with white vinegar and cinnamon being the most effective. In the cucumber trial, the average molding time for the control slices was 17.67 hours, the average molding time for cinnamon and white vinegar was significantly more, with cinnamon at 43.67 hours and white vinegar molding at 84.0 hours. In the tomato trial, the average molding time for the control slice was 50.33 hours. Both the averages for cinnamon and white vinegar were greater with cinnamon molding after 86.0 hours and white vinegar after 101 hours. With all mixtures, the tomato slices took longer to mold than the cucumber slices. Some potential error in our data could have occurred due to limited ability to check the slices often and how difficult it was to identify the mold on the slices. Some ideas for future research include repeating the experiment on foods with lower water content which would demonstrate overall effectiveness of the household preservatives and more generalizable results.
It is clear from your interview that you had a lot of fun with this experiment. You did a great job controlling for variables and setting up a meticulous area for these experiments in your home. I hope you continue testing other natural preservatives and other subjects, maybe even creating combinations that are safe, effective, and don’t affect the flavor of the food.