GENERAL BIOLOGY I

Laboratory Activity: FERMENTATION

INTRODUCTION:
Fermentation is the anaerobic oxidation of sugars to form ethanol or ethyl alcohol. On the other hand,
aerobic oxidation of sugars will produce acetic acid. Wine preparation is not limited only to the fermentation of
sugar cane. It can also be done to any kind of fruit that may be in season during the performance of the
experiment, as long as the amount of sugar is adjusted to provide enough, substrate for the production of
alcohol.
Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), is a fungi that produces the enzyme to hasten the anaerobic/aerobic
oxidation of the sugar. Brewer’s yeast is more preferred that Baker’s yeast but the latter is used in the
experiment due to economic considerations, and the availability of the material.
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the experiment, the student will know how to:
1. Prepare wine from indigenous materials.
2. Utilize different type of fruits to produce acetic acid or vinegar.
EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS:
1. 2 Fermentation jars 8. Cooking Pot for Pasteurization
2. Cheese (cotton) cloth (as strainer) 9. 2L Distilled Water
3. Measuring cups 10. Knife
4. Yeast 11. Cutting Board
5. Fruits 12. Bowl
6. Brown sugar/white sugar 13. Stirring Rod/ Spatula
7. Thermometer
PROCEDURE:
A. Wine Preparation
1. Wash and peel ripe (or slightly overripe) fruits.
2. Crush or grate the peeled fruits to extract the juice.
3. Alternatively, use blender to fully extract the juice of the fruit.
4. Dilute the crushed fruit extract with the proportion, 1 cup of water to 1 cup of the juice.
5. Add 1 cup of sugar to every 4 cups of the diluted juice. Mix thoroughly and pasteurize through heat
over a low flame for 30 minutes. Alternatively, add more sugar to give variation on the flavor of
wine. Note: With higher sugar concentration, the longer the fermentation process.
6. Cool and pour the mixture into a bottle (fermenting container) three-fourths (3/4) full.
7. Add ½ teaspoon of dry yeast to every litter of the mixture.
8. Stopper with a cork, fitted with a U-tube in which the other end is dipped in a test tube filled with
Calcium hydroxide solution.
9. Alternatively, use condom to stopper the mouth of the fermenting jar. This will allow you to monitor
the amount of CO2 gas produced during the fermentation.
10. Allow the mixture to ferment for three to four weeks or until no more bubbles are formed, or until
the latex balloon stopped inflating.
11. After fermentation, strain and pasteurize the prepared wine at 65℃ for 30 minutes.
12. If impurities are observed, let the particulate settle and decant in a suitable sterilized container and
pasteurize
13. Alternatively, to make the wine clear, add a well-beaten egg white to every 12 cups of the mixture,
then pasteurize.
14. Let the wine cool down. Stopper tightly and label.
EVALUATION
Guide Questions:
1. What type of respiration is employed in the process of wine making?
2. How is alcohol produced through this process? Specify the reaction process by writing the complete and
balanced chemical equation.
3. Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) has been used for food and beverage preparation for hundreds of
years. Explain the importance and the mechanism of these microorganism in producing such products.
4. Observe the change in appearance of the solution. What do you think is the reason behind this change in
appearance along the process of fermentation?
5. How about the odor and texture? Explain how the fermentation process affects the change in odor and
texture of the solution.
6. Is there any change on the pH Level of the solution? Explain what causes this change in pH level of the
solution.
OBSERVATIONS:

OBSERVATIONS
PARAMETERS
Initial Final

Color/Appearance of the
Solution

Odor

Texture

pH Level

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS:

ATTACHED STEP BY STEP DOCUMENTATION WITH CAPTION

 INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

Group Member
Name of Rater Workload Contribution(s) Rating
Names
A–
B–
C–
Asst. Surgeon:
D–
E–
TOTAL –

Chief Surgeon:
*

Rating of Group Members to be accomplished by the Chief Surgeon.

* Rating of the Chief Surgeon to be accomplished by anyone of the Assistant Surgeon.
* Refer to the attached Rubric for the pointing of the members.
* Adjust/Add rows if necessary.
 RUBRIC IN LABORATORY ACTIVITY FOR GENERAL BIOLOGY

Criteria 1 2 3 4 5
Set-up of equipment Set-up of equipment
Set-up of equipment
is not accurate, is generally All equipment
is generally
(A) help is required
with several major
workable with
several details that
accurate with 1 or
All equipment
accurately placed
accurately placed
All necessary
Set-up and 2 small details that
details need refinement All necessary supplies on hand
need refinement
Equipment Many necessary Some necessary supplies on hand Very neat and
All necessary
Care supplies must supplies must be organized
supplies on hand
found in mid-lab searched out
Demonstrates very
Demonstrates good
good knowledge
knowledge of the Demonstrates sound
of the lab
Lacks the appropriate lab procedures knowledge of lab
Demonstrates procedures
knowledge of the Will ask peers for procedures
general knowledge Gladly helps other
(B) lab procedures
Often requires help
of lab procedures
help with
problems in lab
Will discuss with
peers to solve
students to follow
Following Requires help from procedures
from the teacher to procedures problems in
teacher with some Thoroughly and
Procedure even complete Works to follow each procedures
steps in procedures carefully follows
basic procedures step before Carefully follows
each step before
moving on to the each step
moving on to next
next step
step
Measurements are Measurements are
somewhat Measurements are both accurate and
Measurements are
inaccurate and Measurements are accurate with precise
incomplete,
very imprecise mostly accurate reasonable Observations are
inaccurate and
Observations are Observations are precision very thorough and
imprecise
(C) Observations are
incomplete or
recorded in a
generally complete Observations are
Work is organized thorough
may recognize
possible errors in
incomplete or not
Data confusing way Only 2 or 3 minor Work is generally data collection
included
Collection There are 3 or more errors using neat and organized Work is neat and
Symbols, units and
minor errors using symbols, units and Includes symbols, organized
significant figures
symbols, units and significant digits units and Includes appropriate
are not included
significant digits significant digits symbols, units and
or 2 major errors significant digits
Proper safety
Proper safety Proper safety Proper safety precautions are
Proper safety
precautions are precautions are procedures are consistently used
(D) consistently often missed
precautions are
generally used
consistently used Consistently thinks
missed Needs to be Uses general ahead to ensure
Safety May need to be
Needs to be reminded more reminders of safe safety
reminded once
reminded often than once during practices Will often help other
during the lab
during the lab the lab independently students to
conduct labs safely
Proper clean-up Needs to be Consistently uses
Proper clean-up
procedures are reminded more proper clean-up
procedures
seldom used than once during Consistently uses procedures
(E) Often requires help the lab to use
generally used
May need some help
proper clean-up Often will help other
to complete clean- proper clean-up procedures students to
Clean-up on occasion to
up procedures Station generally complete tasks
complete tasks
3 or more items left 1 or 2 items left at neat and clean properly
Station generally left
at station or station station or not Station always left
clean
not cleaned cleaned neat and clean