KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA

ORDNANCE FACTORY
DUM DUM
BIOLOGY INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT
NAME OISHIK DASGUPTA
CLASS XII B
BOARD ROLL NO.
SESSION 2014-15
SCHOOL KENDRIYA VIODYALAYA
ORDNANCE FACTORY DUM DUM

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express our most sincere thanks
to the people who supported us and cooperated
with us to help complete this project. The very
first on that list are our parents whom we thank
most sincerely for their constant support
throughout this assignment.
I would also like to acknowledge the contribution
of the Principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya
Ordnance Factory Dum Dum, Mrs. Sujata
Bhattacharya, and our adviser and project
guide Dr B K Lal (PGT Biology) who assisted
us through the smallest of steps of this project.
Also I would like to thank our Biology Lab
Attendant Mr. Jairaj who provided me with
necessary apparatus and advised on their
proper use as well.
I would like to thank all my friends and teachers
who supported me throughout this project.
Thank you!
OISHIK DASGUPTA

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express our most sincere thanks

to the people who supported us and cooperated
with us to help complete this project. The very
first on that list are our parents whom we thank
most sincerely for their constant support
throughout this assignment.
I would also like to acknowledge the contribution
of the Principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya
Ordnance Factory Dum Dum, Mrs. Sujata
Bhattacharya, and our adviser and project
guide Dr B K Lal (PGT Biology) who assisted
us through the smallest of steps of this project.
Also I would like to thank our Biology Lab
Attendant Mr. Jairaj who provided me with
necessary apparatus and advised on their
proper use as well.
I would like to thank all my friends and teachers
who supported me throughout this project.
Thank you!
DIPAYAN MOITRA

CERTIFICATE:
It is hereby to certify that, the original and genuine
investigation work has been carried out to

investigate about the subject matter and the related

data collection for the investigatory project. The
investigation has been completed solely, sincerely
and satisfactorily by DIPAYAN MOITRA Of Class XII,
Kendriya Vidyalaya Ordnance Factory Dumdum
regarding the project titled, To determine the vitaminc content of tomato at different ripening stages.

SIGNATURE OF GUIDE
PRINCIPALS SIGNATURE
(P.G.T. BIOLOGY)
Submitted for ALL INDIA SENIOR SECONDARY
EXAMINATION held on ______________ at
KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA ORDNANCE FACTORY
DUMDUM.

Internal Examiner
External Examiner

CERTIFICATE:
It is hereby to certify that, the original and genuine
investigation work has been carried out to
investigate about the subject matter and the related
data collection for the investigatory project. The
investigation has been completed solely, sincerely
and satisfactorily by OISHIK DASGUPTA of Class XII,
Kendriya Vidyalaya Ordnance Factory Dumdum
regarding the project titled, To determine the vitaminc content of tomato at different ripening stages.

SIGNATURE OF GUIDE
PRINCIPALS SIGNATURE
(P.G.T. BIOLOGY)
Submitted for ALL INDIA SENIOR SECONDARY
EXAMINATION held on ______________ at
KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA ORDNANCE FACTORY
DUMDUM.

Internal Examiner
External Examiner

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT

TITLE
PAGE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

CHAPTER I:
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER II: RESEARCH
LITERATURE
CHAPTER III:
METHODOLOGY
CHAPTER IV: RESULTS AND
DISCUSSIONS

 CHAPTER V: SUMMARY,
CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
.........

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INTRODUCTION
There are around 7,500 tomato varieties grown for
various purposes. Heirloom tomatoes are becoming
increasingly popular, particularly among home
gardeners and organic producers, since they tend to
produce more interesting and flavorful crops at the cost
of disease resistance and productivity.[20] In 1973,
Israeli scientists developed the world's first long shelflife commercial tomato varieties.

Hybrid plants remain common, since they tend to be

heavier producers, and sometimes combine unusual
characteristics of heirloom tomatoes with the
ruggedness of conventional commercial tomatoes.
Tomato varieties are roughly divided into several
categories, based mostly on shape and size.
"Slicing" or "globe" tomatoes are the usual tomatoes of
commerce, used for a wide variety of processing and
fresh eating.
Beefsteak tomatoes are large tomatoes often used for
sandwiches and similar applications. Their kidney-bean
shape, thinner skin, and shorter shelf life make
commercial use impractical.
Ox heart tomatoes can range in size up to beefsteaks,
and are shaped like large strawberries.
Plum tomatoes, or paste tomatoes (including pear
tomatoes), are bred with a higher solids content for use
in tomato sauce and paste, and are usually oblong.
Pear tomatoes are pear-shaped, and are based upon
the San Marzano types for a richer gourmet paste.
Cherry tomatoes are small and round, often sweet
tomatoes generally eaten whole in salads.

Grape tomatoes, a more recent introduction, are

smaller and oblong. They are a variation on plum
tomatoes, and used in salads.
Campari tomatoes are also sweet and noted for their
juiciness, low acidity, and lack of meatiness. They are
bigger than cherry tomatoes, but are smaller than plum
tomatoes.
Early tomatoes and cool-summer tomatoes bear fruit
even where nights are cool, which usually discourages
fruit set. There are also varieties high in beta carotenes
and vitamin A, hollow tomatoes and tomatoes that keep
for months in storage.
Tomatoes are also commonly classified as determinate
or indeterminate. Determinate, or bush, types bear a
full crop all at once and top off at a specific height; they
are often good choices for container growing.
Determinate types are preferred by commercial
growers who wish to harvest a whole field at one time,
or home growers interested in canning. Indeterminate
varieties develop into vines that never top off and
continue producing until killed by frost. They are
preferred by home growers and local-market farmers
who want ripe fruit throughout the season. As an

intermediate form, there are plants sometimes known

as vigorous determinate or semi determinate; these top
off like determinates, but produce a second crop after
the initial crop. The majority of heirloom tomatoes are
indeterminate, although some determinate heirlooms
exist.
Most modern tomato cultivars are smooth surfaced, but
some older tomato cultivars and most modern
beefsteaks often show pronounced ribbing, a feature
that may have been common to virtually all preColumbian cultivars. While virtually all commercial
tomato varieties are red, some cultivars especially
heirlooms produce fruit in other colors, including
green, yellow, orange, pink, black, brown, ivory, white,
and purple. Such fruits are not widely available in
grocery stores, nor are their seedlings available in
typical nurseries, but they can be bought as seed. Less
common variations include fruit with stripes (Green
Zebra), fuzzy skin on the fruit (Fuzzy Peach, Red
Boar), multiple colors (Hillbilly, Barrackers Favorite,
and Lucky Cross), etc.
There is also a considerable gap between commercial
and home-gardener cultivars. Home cultivars are often
bred for flavor to the exclusion of all other qualities,

while commercial cultivars are bred for factors like

consistent size and shape, disease and pest
resistance, suitability for mechanized picking and
shipping, and ability to ripen after picking
Tomatoes grow well with seven hours of sunlight a day.
A fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 5-10-10 is often sold as
tomato fertilizer or vegetable fertilizer, although manure
and compost are also used.

VITAMIN CONTENTS
Amounts per
selected serving

%DV

Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin K
Vitamin D
Thiamin
Riboflavin
Niacin
Vitamin B6
Folate
Vitamin B12
Pantothenic Acid
Betaine

833 IU
12.7mg
0.5 mg
0.0mg
0.0mg1%
0.6mg
0.1mg
15.0mcg
0.0mcg
0.1mg
0.1mg

Choline

6.7mg

17%
21%
3%
2%
3%
4%
4%
0%
1%

HYPOTHESIS:
1. Initially we assume the fact that the vitamin c
content varies according to the environment where it
is kept.
2. It is assumed that the vitamin c content also gets
reduced with increase in life span of the fruit.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
PROBLEM:
In case of ripened tomato the content of chemicals
like lycopene, beta-carotene, and polyphenols, etc,
are found in greater content as compared to unripe
tomato while the case is reverse with unripe tomato.

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY:

SINCE THE STUDY INVOLVES ENVIRONMENTAL
FACTORS THUS IT IS PRACTICALLY NOT POSSIBLE TO
STUDY EACH FACTOR .

RESEARCH LITERATURE
Vitamin C is a vitamin. Some animals can make their own vitamin C, but
people must get this vitamin from food and other sources. Good sources of
vitamin C are fresh fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits. Vitamin
C can also be made in a laboratory.
Most experts recommend getting vitamin C from a diet high in fruits and
vegetables rather than taking supplements. Fresh-squeezed orange juice or
fresh-frozen concentrate is a better pick than ready-to-drink orange juice.
The fresh juice contains more active vitamin C. Drink fresh-frozen orange
juice within one week after reconstituting it for the most benefit. It you prefer
ready-to-drink orange juice, buy it 3 to 4 weeks before the expiration date,
and drink it within one week of opening.
Historically, vitamin C was used for preventing and treating scurvy. Scurvy is
now relatively rare, but it was once common among sailors, pirates, and
others who spent long periods of time onboard ships. When the voyages
lasted longer than the supply of fruits and vegetables, the sailors began to
suffer from vitamin C deficiency, which led to scurvy.
These days, vitamin C is used most often for preventing and treating
the common cold. Some people use it for other infections including gum
disease, acne and other skin infections, bronchitis, human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, stomach ulcers caused by bacteria
called Helicobacter pylori, tuberculosis, dysentery (an infection of the lower
intestine), and skin infections that produce boils (furunculosis). It is also
used for infections of the bladder and prostate.
Some people use vitamin C for depression, thinking problems, dementia,
Alzheimers disease, physical and mental stress, fatigue, and attention
deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Other uses include increasing the absorption of iron from foods and
correcting a protein imbalance in certain newborns (tyrosinemia).
There is some thought that vitamin C might help
the heart and blood vessels. It is used for hardening of the arteries,
preventing clots in veins and arteries, heart attack, stroke, high blood
pressure, and high cholesterol.
Vitamin C is also used for glaucoma, preventing cataracts,
preventing gallbladder disease, dental cavities (caries), constipation, Lyme
disease, boosting the immune system, heat stroke, hay fever, asthma,
bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, infertility, diabetes, chronic fatigue
syndrome (CFS), autism, collagen disorders, arthritis and bursitis, back pain
and disc swelling, cancer, and osteoporosis.
Additional uses include improving physical endurance and slowing aging, as
well as counteracting the side effects of cortisone and related drugs, and
aiding drug withdrawal in addiction.
Sometimes, people put vitamin C on their skin to protect it against the sun,
pollutants, and other environmental hazards. Vitamin C is also applied to the
skin to help with damage from radiation therapy.

How does it work?

Vitamin C is required for the proper development and function of many parts
of the body. It also plays an important role in maintaining proper immune
function.

METHODOLOGY
OBJECTIVE:
The objectives of the study are:
a)To determine the concentration of vitamin C in
tomato juice at different stages of ripening by using
DCPIP titration.
b) To determine the difference in vitamin c content
between organic farming and inorganic farming
cultivar.

METHOD:
In this experiment, titration method is used to determine the
concentration of Vitamin C in freshly prepared and
commercial fruit juice samples. Titration or called as
volumetric analysis is a common laboratory method of
quantitative analysis that can be used to determine the
concentration of a known analyte. A titrant of known
concentration is used to react with a solution of the analyte

of unknown concentration. Using a calibrated burette, it is

possible to determine the exact amount of titrant that has
been consumed when the endpoint is reached. The endpoint
is the point at which the titration is complete, as determined
by the colour change of an indicator.

MATERIALS:
0.5% Oxalic Acid
Distilled Water
2, 6-dichlorophenolindophenol (DCPIP) solution
Tomato juices of two stages (ripe and unripe) from
3 different stages.

APPARATUS:
Titration Set (Burette, Stand, Clamp, Tile and
funnel)
250ml Conical Flask
Buchner Funnel and Filter Paper
Pipette ( 10 and 25 ml)
Measuring Cylinder
250 ml Beaker

 Knife

PROCEDURE FOR
TITRATION:
1. A fruit is cut in half with knife and the juice is
squeeze out.
2. Fresh fruit juice is collected with the aid of a
Buchner funnel and filter paper, the flesh and seed
is separated from the juice.
3.10 ml of the fruit juice is pipetted into a 250 ml
conical flask, which contains 25ml of 0.5% oxalic
acid, and 10 ml of distilled water is added.
4. The fruit juice solution is titrated with the DCPIP
solution in the burette to a pink end point.
5. Three such observations were taken and their
average value was noted down.
6. Then the vitamin C concentration in the fruit
juice is calculated.

RESULTS AND
DISCUSSIONS:
The following results were obtained after
titration:
VITAMIN C
SAMPLE
CONTENT
(In %)
Organic
Inorganic
Farming Farming
Cultivar
Cultivar
A (3 days old) 4.65
4.37
B (7 days old) 4.24

3.97

C (10 days
old)

3.76

3.91

According to the values obtained via titrations,

it can be very evidently concluded that with
ageing the vitamin c content goes on
decreasing accordingly.
While on the other hand when we take into
account about the case of organic and
inorganic cultivars we observe the fact that
vitamin c content for organic tomatoes is
higher while for the later is lower.

SUMMARY,
CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
From the foregoing investigation, it can be
concluded that the different amount of vitamin c in
tomatoes correspond according to the environment
where it is kept.
Therefore from this generalization our first
hypothesis has been proven correct.

While on the other hand the vitamin c content (or

the ascorbic acid content) is further influenced by
the presence of other chemicals like lycopene,
beta-carotene, carbohydrates, etc.

BASED ON OUR OBSERVATIONS AND

ANANLYSIS WE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE FEW
RECOMMENDATIONS, WHICH ARE AS
FOLLOWS:
Based on our requirement we must choose which
cultivar of tomato to be ingested.
The main point which we learnt is that the amount
of carbohydrates, polyphenols, lycopene, etc
increases with increase of days of storage that is
with more ripening on the contrary the vitamin c
content decreases
Now vitamin c is used in many mechanisms in our
body so if our requirement is more vitamin c then
we must go for the organic farming cultivar at the
very initial stages of ripening (green colored)
If our requirement is the other vitamins or for
energy then tomatoes at a later stage of ripening
should be ingested (red ones).
In fact the ones at later stages of ripening are
healthier.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
I have made a project on the topic:
To determine the vitamin-c content of tomato
at different ripening stages.
In course of the program I have consulted the
several books and magazine. I would like to
cite the name of few

NCERT textbook
Comprehensive lab manual

I would also like to cite the name of a few

websites which were a great source of
information
http://plantsinaction.science.uq.edu.au

 https://www.google.co.in
http://en.wikipedia.org

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
I have made a project on the topic:
To determine the vitamin-c content of tomato
at different ripening stages.
In course of the program I have consulted the
several books and magazine. I would like to
cite the name of few

NCERT textbook
Comprehensive lab manual

I would also like to cite the name of a few

websites which were a great source of
information
http://plantsinaction.science.uq.edu.au
https://www.google.co.in

 http://en.wikipedia.org