Concentration of Vitamin in Fruits
INTRODUCTION
Vitamins are organic compounds that have important biological functions. For instance, in
humans they enable a variety of enzymes in the body to function. The human body cannot
synthesize vitamin molecules, so they must be obtained in the diet. If a particular vitamin is
lacking in the diet, a deficiency disease will result.
Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables, such as citrus fruits, green peppers, tomatoes, and parsley. It is not stable to heat, so cooking fruits and vegetables destroys much of their vitamin C content. It is also easily oxidized (converted to a non-useful form) by certain compounds, such as oxygen in the air. Therefore, the vitamin C content in an orange will be reduced if the orange has been cut in half and left exposed to the air for a period of time. Although fruit juice is a good source of vitamin C, it is not the healthiest way to obtain the vitamin, since fruit juices are very high in sugar/simple carbohydrates. Juices contain either added sugar or sugars that occur naturally in the fruit and become highly concentrated in the juice. Eating a serving of fresh fruit is far healthier because the effects of the natural fruit sugars are moderated by the fiber in the fruit.
Vitamins are organic compounds that have important biological functions. For instance, in
humans they enable a variety of enzymes in the body to function. The human body cannot
synthesize vitamin molecules, so they must be obtained in the diet. If a particular vitamin is
lacking in the diet, a deficiency disease will result.
Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables, such as citrus fruits, green peppers, tomatoes, and parsley. It is not stable to heat, so cooking fruits and vegetables destroys much of their vitamin C content. It is also easily oxidized (converted to a non-useful form) by certain compounds, such as oxygen in the air. Therefore, the vitamin C content in an orange will be reduced if the orange has been cut in half and left exposed to the air for a period of time. Although fruit juice is a good source of vitamin C, it is not the healthiest way to obtain the vitamin, since fruit juices are very high in sugar/simple carbohydrates. Juices contain either added sugar or sugars that occur naturally in the fruit and become highly concentrated in the juice. Eating a serving of fresh fruit is far healthier because the effects of the natural fruit sugars are moderated by the fiber in the fruit.
PROCEDURES
Preparing the vitamin C extract
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Measuring vitamin C in food sample
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This video shows the procedures how to make vitamin assay
DISCUSSION
The concentration of vitamin C in 'pisang kaki' are a lot because it's hard to turn yellow color to violet color. After we refilled 50ml of iodine, it's doesn't change the color but it need more iodine to change the color after 15 minutes.The changes of the colour of the ground extract from yellow to violet colour indicates that all the ascorbic acid molecules are already bind to the iodine before it binds to starch molecule. We also found that the fruit was among the highest concentration of vitamin C inside the fruit because the other fruit change the color rapidly. Just about a few minute. For example, pineapple. . At normal temperature, the volume of iodine solution used is 13.00m. At 13°C, the volume of iodine solution used is 12.80mL.
Temperature play an important role in producing concentration vitamin C in fruits. For example area that fruit grown. Areas with cool nights produce citrus fruits with higher vitamin C levels. Hot tropical areas produce fruit with lower levels of vitamin C (Padayatty et al., 2003). Also environment conditions that increase the acidity of citrus fruits also increase vitamin C levels. It is better to maintain or store Vitamin C in a place below the room temperature. Vitamin C is the most unstable vitamin which can easily denature. Vitamin C also denatured on cooling. On freezing, the food containing vitamin C puts a negative effect on it if it is exposed to the air. But during the experiment, we covered the Erlenmeyer flask containing ground extract by using aluminium foil so that the enzymatic action are preserved.
The concentration of vitamin C in 'pisang kaki' are a lot because it's hard to turn yellow color to violet color. After we refilled 50ml of iodine, it's doesn't change the color but it need more iodine to change the color after 15 minutes.The changes of the colour of the ground extract from yellow to violet colour indicates that all the ascorbic acid molecules are already bind to the iodine before it binds to starch molecule. We also found that the fruit was among the highest concentration of vitamin C inside the fruit because the other fruit change the color rapidly. Just about a few minute. For example, pineapple. . At normal temperature, the volume of iodine solution used is 13.00m. At 13°C, the volume of iodine solution used is 12.80mL.
Temperature play an important role in producing concentration vitamin C in fruits. For example area that fruit grown. Areas with cool nights produce citrus fruits with higher vitamin C levels. Hot tropical areas produce fruit with lower levels of vitamin C (Padayatty et al., 2003). Also environment conditions that increase the acidity of citrus fruits also increase vitamin C levels. It is better to maintain or store Vitamin C in a place below the room temperature. Vitamin C is the most unstable vitamin which can easily denature. Vitamin C also denatured on cooling. On freezing, the food containing vitamin C puts a negative effect on it if it is exposed to the air. But during the experiment, we covered the Erlenmeyer flask containing ground extract by using aluminium foil so that the enzymatic action are preserved.
Conclusion
The concentration of vitamin C in fruits is different due to the types, area and etc. Vitamin C contributes to the health of teeth and gums, preventing haemorrhaging and bleeding. It also improves the absorption of iron from the diet. vitamin C is also needed for the metabolism of bile acids which may have implications for blood cholesterol levels and gallstones. Moreover, vitamin C plays an important role in the synthesis of several important peptide hormones, neurotransmitters and carnitine.