Photo by V. Miller
Feb. 21, 2007
Browning in Apples
Inactivation of Polyphenoloxidase, Which Causes Browning in Apples
Kushal Naik, 14, Hockessin, Del.
Finalist, Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge, 2006
Project background: Irritated because apples turned an unappetizing brown color after being cut, Kushal wondered what might be the best way to prevent this phenomenon. He hypothesized that an antibrowning solution must have both a low pH and high vitamin C content, as lemon juice does.
Tactics and results: After confirming that lemon juice prevents browning, Kushal tested solutions with different pH levels, such as solutions made with baking soda, vitamin C, citric acid, and phosphate buffer saline (PBS).
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| Photo by V. Miller |
Kushal found that vitamin C and PBS prevented browning equally well. In another experiment, he found that the vitamin C content in cut apples decreases over time, but that solutions of vitamin C and PBS maintained a high vitamin C content in apple wedges.
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