Kristin McKeown

Abby Side, Magda Soloman, Paige Romoser

Class Period 7

17 November 2011

The Effects of the Effectiveness of the Enzymes on the Amount of Juice Extracted

Introduction:

Problem/Question:

How do two enzymes, Cellulase and Pectinase, and water affect the amount of juice

extracted from Stop and Shop, Unsweetened, natural applesauce?

Background Research:

In order for apple juice companies to create their popular product, they need to extract

juice from applesauce through filters to retrieve the juice. Before these companies can actually

begin extracting the juice, they must experiment around with different enzymes, or even water to

help filter through juice. Enzymes are proteins that help to speed up chemical reactions in the

cells of many living organisms. The two enzymes that will be tested during this lab are, Cellulase

and Pectinase. The substrate for Cellulase is cellulose, which is a carbohydrate that is located in

the cell wall of plant cells. Cellulose gives the plant cells walls their rigidity, or toughness.

Cellulase speeds up the decomposition of cellulose. The substrate for Pectinase is pectin, which

is also a carbohydrate found in the cell wall of plant cells. Pectin is similar to glue, it helps to

keep the cell wall all stuck together. Just like Cellulase, Pectinase speeds up the decomposition

of pectin.

Hypothesis:

If the enzyme, Pectinase, is added to applesauce, then more juice will be extracted than if

Cellulase were added because Pectin holds the cell wall together and if it is separated apart from

each other, then more juice would be able to flow out.

Independent Variable:

Type of enzyme, Pectinase and Cellulase.

Dependent Variable:

The amount of juice extracted from the applesauce.

Experimental Design:

Control Group:

Tap water being added to the applesauce.

Experimental Group 1:

Cellulase being added to the applesauce.

Experimental Group 2:

Pectinase being added to the applesauce.

Constant Variables:

The temperature of the enzymes, Cellulase and Pectinase being added to the applesauce,

keeping the ratio of five drops of enzyme per 25mL of applesauce, the amount of time to allow

the juice to drip from the applesauce being filtered, and stirring the applesauce after the enzymes

and water are added every other minute for ten minutes.

Lab Safety Precautions:

Put on safety glasses, or safety goggles.

Tie back any long hair that is hanging down.

Do not eat or taste any of the materials that are being used within the experiment.

Wear closed toed shoes at all times during the lab.

Do not wear any loose clothing or jewelry.

Materials:

1 individual container of Stop and Shop brand applesauce

Pectinase enzyme

Cellulase enzyme

Stop and Shop coffee filter paper

Lab aprons

Splash-proof goggles

3 droppers

3 stirring rods

3 100mL glass graduated cylinders (Flinn Scientific)

75mL of tap water

3 small glass beakers (Flinn Scientific)

Stopwatch

Paper towels for clean up

1 spoon

3 funnels

Procedure:

1. Measure 25mL of Stop and Shop or Unsweetened and Natural applesauce into three

beakers.

2. Label one beaker and graduated cylinder of applesauce, C for Cellulase, label a

second beaker and graduated cylinder of applesauce, P for Pectinase, and label the

last remaining beaker and graduated cylinder of applesauce, TW for tap water.

3. Using the dropper, add five drops of Cellulase to beaker C, add five drops of

Pectinase to beaker P, and add five drops of tap water to beaker TW.

4. Begin the timer for ten minutes, stirring the applesauce with its new enzyme or tap

water addition, every other minute begin the stirring with minute two.

5. Place one funnel into every graduated cylinder, having a total of three.

6. Then, place one Shop and Shop coffee filter into each of the funnels.

7. Now that the ten minutes of stirring is over, pour each labeled applesauce mixture

into the graduated cylinder, be sure to match up each of the labels with the ones that

are on the beakers with the ones on the graduated cylinders.

8. Let the applesauce sit in the coffee filter for two and a half minutes, allowing time for

juice to drip out.

9. Measure the amount of apple juice extracted from each graduated cylinder

10. Record data into properly formatted data table.

11. Repeat steps three through ten for two additional trials; remember to clean the

supplies between each new trial.

Results:

After giving time allowing the enzymes, Cellulase and Pectinase, and tap water to filter

through Stop and Shop brand applesauce, apple juice was extracted from each experiment. Out

of the two tested enzymes and tap water, the enzyme Pectinase extracted the most amount of

apple juice. In trial one, Pectinase filtered 15mL of apple juice, then in trial two it filtered 15mL

and lastly in trial three, it filtered out 16mL of juice. Totally with an overall average of about

15.3mL of apple juice collected. As for the enzyme Cellulase, in trial one it drained 5mL of

juice, then is trial two it drained 6 mL of juice, and then again in trial three Cellulase extracted

5mL of juice. With all of these numbers added together and divided by three, the average amount

of juice that Cellulase extracted was about 5.3mL. Lastly, when tap water was added to

applesauce, in trial one it extracted 4mL of juice, then in trial two 5mL of juice and then in trial

three, 6mL of apple juice. The average amount of juice that was collected from tap water was

5mL.

Conclusion:

The data that was recorded during the entire experiment proved our hypothesis to be

correct. Our hypothesis was, if the enzyme, Pectinase, is added to applesauce, then more juice

will be extracted because Pectin holds the cell wall together and if it is separated apart from each

other, then more juice would be able to flow out. Just by comparing the three averages from

Pectinase, Cellulase and tap water, it could be determined that the hypothesis was indeed proved

correct. The average amount of apple juice that was extracted from Stop and Shop brand

applesauce mixed with Pectinase was 15mL. This was the highest average percentage of apple

juiced filtered, compared to tap water whose average was 5mL of juice and then again compared

to the average with Cellulase, of 5.3mL. All of these averages, as well as the amount of juice

extracted exactly for each trial, can been seen through figure 1, the raw data table.

All of the averages that were recorded during the experiment are the amounts of apple

juice that were extracted from Stop and Shop brand applesauce, mixed with either an enzyme,

Cellulase or Pectinase, or just with plan tap water. By looking at figure 1’s data table, there is a

logical reason as to why Pectinase extracted the most apple juice out of Cellulase and tap water.

Pectinase, which is made from the substrate, Pectin, acts like a glue to the cell wall. Pectin holds

the cell wall all together, so that it does not bulge or break. Then, if Pectinase were to be

separated, then any of the components within the enzyme would be free. This is what happened

during the experiment. Pectinase was loosened up by the applesauce, resulting with the most

apple juice to be extracted.

Overall, this experimental lab fit the criteria for being valid. During the experiment, three

trials were performed to get the most accurate readings to draw conclusions from and to create

averages. Also, there were many constants, mentioned earlier, that were kept constant throughout

the entire experiment. Lastly, to be valid there were experimental groups and a control groups

during the entire lab. The experimental groups were the applesauce’s that received Cellulase and

Pectinase, the control group being the applesauce and tap water combined together. Some errors

that could have occurred during the lab, are not reading any measurements correctly, like the

apple juice that was extracted. Another error that could have occurred, could have been adding

too many drops of the enzymes or tap water to the applesauce. A last error that could have

happened was not paying attention to the time for when to stir the applesauce once the enzymes

and tap water were mixed together, or just overall not being exact with time. If this experiment

were to be performed again, I would make sure to pay more attention to the time, reading

measurements accurately, and being cautious with the amount of drops of enzymes or tap water

being added to the applesauce.

Raw Data:

The Effect of the Enzymes, Cellulase and Pectinase, and Tap Water on the Amount of Juice

Extracted

Products Added to Stop and Shop

Applesauce

Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Averages

Cellulase 5mL 6mL 5mL 5.3mL

Pectinase 15mL 15mL 16mL 15.3mL

Tap Water 4mL 5mL 6mL 5mL