Enzyme Pineapple Lab
Have you ever noticed the warning on a JELL-O package not to use fresh or
frozen pineapple?
Background: The reason for this is enzymes in some tropical fruits can break down
protein. For example, meat tenderizers have the enzyme papain that breaks down some
of the meat fiber. We use it to soften up a tough piece of meat. The papain comes from
the papaya fruit. Pineapple has a similar digestive enzyme called bromelin that breaks
down the protein in Jell-O.
Objective: Design an experiment to test the effects of temperature, pH, OR concentration
on stopping the activity of bromelain, an enzyme found in pineapples.
Materials:
o Available for all: 4 small cups, hot gelatin,
o Temperature: one piece each of fresh pineapple, canned pineapple, frozen
pineapple
o pH: vinegar, lemon juice, pH paper, 3 pieces of fresh pineapple
o Concentration: up to 10 pieces of fresh pineapple
Procedure:
1. Your teacher will assign the variable that your team will be investigating.
2. Write a hypothesis making a prediction:
3. Prepare ONE draft of the procedure your team will use on a separate piece of
paper to turn in. Identify what data you will collect. (Hint: Could another group
follow your instructions?)
4. In planning your experiment, identify the independent and dependent variables,
control and constants.
5. Remember to obey all safety rules when designing your procedure.
6. Your instructor must review your procedure and give you permission to begin.
7. Create a poster in class to share your results. Include the hypothesis, results, and
conclusion.
8. Listen to other groups as you are responsible for knowing about each variable.
Analysis Questions:
1. Was your hypothesis correct? Why or why not?
2. Which condition affects the enzyme to most? Why?
3. Think about the canning process of foods, which involves heat. How do you think
the canning process affects the enzymes in foods? Why is the canning process
necessary?
4. If a family member was planning to serve fruit gelatin salad with pineapple in it,
and discovered they only had fresh pineapple instead of canned, what suggestions
would you give them on how to use the fresh pineapple in the recipe?
5. Many detergents include digestive enzymes as an ingredient to remove stains.
Design an experiment to compare the effects of different detergents on gelatin.